January 23, 2025

Dodgers legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela dies at 63

Fernando Valenzuela, Legendary Dodgers Southpaw Pitcher, Dead at 63

Fernando Valenzuela, the legendary pitcher behind “Fernandomania” who earned both the National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year honors in 1981 while helping the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series, passed away at the age of 63.

The Dodgers made the announcement, stating that Valenzuela died on Tuesday night at a hospital in Los Angeles. The team did not provide further details or a cause of death.

Valenzuela’s passing comes just before the Dodgers are set to open the World Series at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees on Friday night. Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that Valenzuela would be honored during the World Series.

After a 17-season major league career, Valenzuela became a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers in 2003. He recently stepped away from his duties to focus on his health, the team said.

Valenzuela, born in Navojoa, Mexico, burst onto the baseball scene in 1980, initially as a reliever. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, the 20-year-old left-hander made his first major league start after Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda gave him the ball on Opening Day due to an injury to Jerry Reuss. Valenzuela responded with a 2-0 win against the Houston Astros and went on to start the season with an 8-0 record, including five shutouts and an astonishing 0.50 ERA.

“I was waiting for that opportunity to show what I could do,” Valenzuela recalled in a 2023 interview.

Valenzuela’s unique pitching style, including his signature screwball and his gaze skyward during his windup, quickly endeared him to fans. The Mexican community, in particular, rallied behind him as Latino fans filled stadiums to see “El Toro,” as Valenzuela was affectionately called. His popularity surged as “Fernando” by ABBA played during his warm-ups.

Although Valenzuela was never inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, he remains a significant figure, with several of his career artifacts, including a ball from his 1990 no-hitter, enshrined in Cooperstown.

Jaime Jarrin, the Dodgers’ Hall of Fame Spanish-language broadcaster, described Valenzuela’s incredible charisma and noted that fans fell in love with the young pitcher almost immediately. At just 19 years old, Valenzuela made a lasting impression with his humble appearance and phenomenal skill.

Valenzuela finished the 1981 season with a 13-7 record, a 2.48 ERA, 11 complete games, and 8 shutouts, leading the National League in innings pitched and major league baseball in strikeouts. He became the first player ever to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards in the same season.

His remarkable 1981 season marked the beginning of six consecutive All-Star selections. Valenzuela finished in the top five in Cy Young voting multiple times throughout the 1980s before a shoulder injury impacted his later career. He earned another World Series title with the Dodgers in 1988, although he did not pitch in the postseason.

“Valenzuela is one of the most influential Dodgers of all time,” said Dodgers president Stan Kasten. “Fernandomania galvanized the fan base in 1981, and he remained close to our hearts, both as a player and a broadcaster. His loss is felt deeply.”

Valenzuela played for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990, including a memorable no-hitter in 1990 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully famously called the game, encouraging fans to “throw their sombreros to the sky!” in celebration.

From 1983 to 1987, Valenzuela was a workhorse for the Dodgers, averaging 262 innings and 13 complete games per season. He retired from playing in 1997 with a career record of 173-153, a 3.54 ERA, and 2,074 strikeouts. He later returned to the Dodgers organization as a broadcaster in 2003.

Despite not being inducted into the Hall of Fame, the Dodgers retired Valenzuela’s number 34 in August 2023, a break from the tradition of only retiring Hall of Famers’ numbers. The number had been unofficially retired since Valenzuela’s departure from the team in 1991.

Valenzuela’s influence extended beyond the field, particularly within the Latino community in Los Angeles. He helped bring in a new generation of fans to baseball, especially through his work as a broadcaster.

After his playing career, Valenzuela remained involved in baseball, serving on the coaching staff for Mexico in several World Baseball Classic tournaments. He also became part-owner of the Mexican League team Tigres de Quintana Roo, with his sons playing key roles in the team’s operations.

Valenzuela is survived by his wife, Linda, whom he married in 1981, their children, and seven grandchildren. His legacy as a trailblazing pitcher and beloved figure in the world of baseball endures.

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