Several Marlins teammates declined Jose Fernandez’s invitation to join him on boat

Marcel Ozuna was among several Marlins players who decided not to join Jose Fernandez.

Jose Fernandez asked multiple Marlins players if they wanted to join him on his boat the night he died, Yahoo’s Jeff Passan reports. 

“After Saturday’s game, Fernandez had asked a number of teammates to join him on the boat,” Passan reports. “One by one, they declined.”

One of the players was outfielder Marcel Ozuna, who told the Miami Herald after Monday’s game that he cautioned Fernandez against heading out on the boat. 

“That night I told him, ‘Don’t go out,’” Ozuna said. “Everybody knew he was crazy about that boat and loved being out on the water. I told him I couldn’t go out that night because I had the kids and my wife waiting for me.”

Passan also published text messages one of the other victims, Eddy Rivero, sent to a friend that night. Rivero’s friend, Will Bernal, said he knew going out on the boat at night was dangerous and urged Rivero to be careful. 

• Watch: Dee Gordon hit homer right after Fernandez ceremony

Fernandez, Rivero and a third man, Emilio Macias, were killed when the 32-foot boat crashed into a rock jetty at full speed. 

The Marlins honored Fernandez with a pregame ceremony on Monday and will retire his No. 16.