Blue Jays: Tony Fernandez asks for prayers after being hospitalized
Former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Tony Fernandez has been hospitalized in Florida after being diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease. The 55-year took to social media to ask for prayers from friends and followers as he battles this genetic disorder.
Tony Fernandez sent a trio of tweets yesterday afternoon informing Blue Jays fans he recently became ill during an event in the Dominican Republic and was forced to fly back to Flordia where he has been hospitalized since Monday. Fernandez went on to say that he has been diagnosed with a kidney disease and is under medical treatment but can barely speak.
The 4-time Gold Glove winner requested that friends and followers continue to pray for him as “God is in control”. According to MedicineNet the disease is characterized by the growth of numerous cysts on the kidneys and could require dialysis or transplants to combat the genetic disorder.
The smooth-fielding Fernandez played for the Blue Jays four times during his 17-year career with 12 of those years being north of the border. Fernandez was also part of the 1990 blockbuster trade with the Padres that saw him and Fred McGriff shipped to San Diego in exchange for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter.
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The 5-time All-Star is a career .288/.347/.399 hitter with 246 stolen bases and a career 45.1 WAR in 2158 games. Fernandez is enshrined on the “Level of Excellence” and was a member of the World Series winning 1993 Jays team after being acquired mid-season from the New York Mets for Darrin Jackson.
Fernandez hung up the spikes where it all began at the conclusion of the 2001 season as the Jays brought him back for the fourth and final time after being released from the Milwaukee Brewers midseason.
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All of us at Jays Journal send our thoughts and prayers to Tony Fernandez and are hopeful for a speedy recovery.