A native of Honolulu who wore #50 in honor of his home state, Sid Fernandez operated with a deceptive, slingshot delivery and a rising fastball that made him one of the most difficult pitchers to hit in the history of the National League.

Debuting in 1984, Fernandez's second season truly marked a peak in his ability to be tough to hit, as he led the Major Leagues with only 5.71 hits allowed per nine innings. He showed excellent control of his rising fastball, striking out 180 batters in 170 innings, and served as a perfect left-handed complement to Dwight Gooden. In 1986, he reached a historic milestone by becoming the first Hawaiian-born player to be selected for the All-Star game. That summer, he achieved a career-high 16-6 record, finished seventh in the Cy Young Award voting, and played a key role in a strong rotation that led the senior circuit.

Fernandez truly shined during the 1986 World Series, reaching his peak with some incredible plays. Though he was mainly a starter during the regular season, he was called upon as a reliever for the Fall Classic. His unforgettable moment in Mets history came in Game 7: after the Red Sox took an early 3-0 lead, Fernandez stepped in during the fourth inning and pitched brilliantly, retiring seven batters in a row, including four strikeouts. It was a remarkable display of specialized relief that quieted the Boston bats and helped ignite the Mets’ exciting comeback to win the championship.

Over a decade at Shea Stadium, Fernandez achieved a new level of franchise prominence, leading the league in H/9 on three separate occasions and surpassing 175 strikeouts in a season five times. Although he concluded his tenure with the Mets just two wins short of the century mark, his statistical contributions remain outstanding: he departed as the franchise leader in H/9 and continues to rank among the top five for career strikeouts. In December 1993, he reached a pivotal moment and signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent, effectively concluding a highly underrated chapter in New York baseball history.

With the Mets, Fernandez compiled a 98-78 record, a 3.14 ERA, and 1,449 strikeouts.