This Video Will Give You Warm Feelings About the Miami Marlins

Sure, the Miami Marlins are the ultimate MLB punch line and punching bag right now. But here’s a story involving the Marlins — okay, one Marlin — that will give you the warm feels.

Pitcher Jose Fernandez tried defecting from Cuba three times unsuccessfully before he finally arrived in the U.S. in 2008, at age 15. But while he made it to this country with his mother, he left behind a family member just as important — his grandmother, who he described as a “baseball freak” and “the love of [his] life.”

Last week, though, two major events rocked Fernandez to his core. First, his 2.19 ERA, the second-best in the league, scored him the National League Rookie of the Year award. But the night before, he got an even bigger surprise: a reunion with his grandmother. And OMG, it came in part thanks to the much-maligned Marlins owner, Jeffrey Loria.

The league caught it all on video. Watch below and keep a hanky handy.

Arielle Castillo is Fusion’s culture editor, reporting on arts, music, culture, and subcultures from the streets on up. She’s also a connoisseur of weird Florida, weightlifting, and cats.