Ex-Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Tony Fernandez dies at 57

Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Former Toronto Blue Jays star shortstop Tony Fernandez has died at the age of 57, the team announced Sunday.

League sources told the Detroit News and Deportivo Z101 that Fernandez died of complications from kidney disease. Fernandez's wife told ESPN that he was removed from life support Sunday.

"The Toronto Blue Jays are deeply saddened by the passing of Tony Fernandez, one of our club's most celebrated and respected players," the team said in a statement. "Enshrined forever in Blue Jays history on the Level of Excellence, Tony left an equally indelible mark in the hearts of a generation of Blue Jays fans during his 12 unforgettable seasons with the team.

"His impact on the baseball community in Toronto and across Canada is immeasurable. Our deepest condolences are with the Fernandez family during this time."

Fernandez played parts of 17 seasons in the majors from 1983 to 2001, including 12 seasons with the Blue Jays. He was a five-time All-Star selection and four-time Gold Glove Award winner.

Fernandez, who won a World Series championship with the Blue Jays in 1993, recorded a .288 career batting average with 94 home runs, 844 RBIs and 246 stolen bases in 2,158 games. He is the Blue Jays' career leader in games played (1,450), hits (1,583) and triples (72).

The Dominican Republic native also played for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers in his MLB career.