On Monday, the Toronto Blue Jays announced the club will honor Tony Fernandez during the 2020 season by placing a commemorative patch on jerseys:
For you, Tony
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 13, 2020
To pay tribute to the life and legacy of Tony Fernandez, we will wear a commemorative No. 1 uniform patch for the 2020 season. pic.twitter.com/pwscaoWkNi
Fernandez died in February following a battle with kidney disease. He was 57.
Club president and CEO Mark Shapiro offered a statement for the team's website:
"There are few players in the game who can impact a team and a fan base the way Tony did in Toronto. Beyond his impressive career numbers, achievements, and accolades, Tony resonated with baseball fans because of how he played the game and conducted himself as a teammate. To wear a patch in his memory is to honour his exceptional life on behalf of Blue Jays fans across the country.”
As mentioned by the Blue Jays, Fernandez is the franchise's career leader in hits (1,583), triples (72), and games (1,450).
One thing Blue Jays players still don't know is where they'll be rocking those jersey patches during home games. Over the weekend, reports surfaced that current quarantine restrictions for those who enter Canada from the United States could force the Blue Jays to temporarily relocate to Buffalo for the 60-game season.
The Blue Jays are conducting spring training 2.0 sessions in a bubble site at Rogers Centre.
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