A shaken Yasiel Puig dedicates Sunday’s game to fallen friend Jose Fernandez

Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig cried Sunday as he discussed the sudden death of his friend and Cuban countryman, Miami Marlins ace José Fernández, and said he would dedicate today’s game to him.

Fernández, who was 24, and two others were killed in a boat crash near Miami early Sunday morning. The news was reported before 6 a.m. in Los Angeles.

“I’m very sad over what happened to him,” Puig said in Spanish. “He was Cuban. He was one of my best friends. I’m sure I was one of the first to learn what happened. I couldn’t go back to sleep. I still can’t believe that he left life.”

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said he parked his car at the same time as Puig on Sunday morning. They walked into the stadium together, and Roberts offered him the choice to play or not to play. Puig said he’d play.

He’ll man right field against Colorado and bat fourth for the Dodgers as they attempt to clinch their fourth consecutive National League West title.

The two Cubans met in 2013, their rookie season, as they competed for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Fernández won; Puig placed second.

Puig said that in the years since he had come to believe Fernández was baseball’s second-best pitcher, behind only the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw. When they opposed each other earlier this month in Miami, Puig struck out and blew a kiss to Fernández.

“I liked facing him because I had fun,” Puig said. “He would strike me out and we would laugh together. After I struck out, it was always the same, we were still good friends. I’d go out there and try to take good at-bats because he was one of the best pitchers. If he threw a ball, I would tell him to throw it down the middle. I’m going to miss that when we play against Miami and he’s not there, and when I’m playing baseball and I don’t see him, I’m going to miss him.”

As tears welled within his eyes, Puig discussed their developing relationship. He recalled having dinner with him when the Dodgers last visited the Marlins.

“Whenever I was in Miami, he gave me advice on how to improve every day,” Puig said. “It was the same the last time we went to Miami. …I’m going to try to prepare myself the best I can and try to dedicate the game to him.”

At that, he departed the clubhouse, scrounged athletic tape from the training room and went to work taping a Fernández No. 16 jersey to the wall in the Dodgers’ dugout.

Times staff writer Dylan Hernandez contributed to this report.

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