Marcell Ozuna, two un-named teammates declined to get on boat with Fernàndez

As more information continues to come out about Saturday night and the fatal boat ride that ultimately took José Fernàndez’s life, we have learned that as hideous as Sunday’s tragedy was, it had the potential to be even worse.

According to the Miami Herald, Fernàndez had asked several of his teammates, including Marcell Ozuna, to join him on the boat that evening, and almost all of them had told him it was a bad idea.

Fernàndez had told Ozuna to text him if he wasn’t at the ballpark by 10:00 am because he was concerned he wouldn’t make it to Marlins Park in time for the game. Fernàndez was seen at the American Social Bar and Kitchen prior to embarking on the fateful journey with his two friends, Emilio Macias and Eduardo Rivero.

Rivero’s friend, Will Bernal, had also cautioned against the trip.

It’s important to make clear that at this point, while we know that it was José’s boat, the Kaught Looking, we do not know who was driving nor do we know for certain that alcohol played a factor, so I would caution anyone from speculation in that regard until further details emerge.

Had teammates acquiesced to Fernàndez’s requests that they join him on the boat, we could’ve been looking at a disaster of unfathomable proportion.

As hard as it is to imagine today, things could’ve absolutely been worse for the Marlins organization, Miami fans abroad and uncounted friends and loved ones.