One of the most popular and beloved Dodgers of all time, Fernando Valenzuela, born in Mexico, who played for the Los Angeles team and inspired the “Fernandomania” while winning the Cy Young Award in the National League and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has passed away this Tuesday at the age of 63.
His death occurred in a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday night, the team did not provide further information on the cause of his death, which happens just as the Dodgers are getting ready to open the World Series on Friday night, hosting the New York Yankees. The last time they faced each other in the World Series was in 1981 and Fernando Valenzuela featured in the Dodgers' campaign. He won the game 3 times in that year's Series.
Dodgers Statement
"In the name of the Dodgers organization, we deeply regret the passing of Fernando," said Stan Kasten, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"He is one of the most influential players in Dodgers history and belongs to the franchise's Mount Rushmore of heroes. He made a mark on the fans with the Fernandomania season in 1981 and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a commentator. He left us before all of us. We express our deepest condolences to his wife Linda and his family," Kasten stated.
Valenzuela in MLB
He made his Major League debut at the age of 19 with the Dodgers on September 15, 1980, pitching 17.2 innings without allowing any earned runs. In 1981, starting an Opening Day game with a shutout of 2-0 against the Houston Astros in an emergency start, he began his career by pitching complete games in his first eight starts - five of them were shutouts - and had an ERA of 0.50.
Valenzuela went from opening the 1981 All-Star Game to finishing the regular season with a record of 13-7 and an ERA of 2.48 and 11 complete games, including eight shutouts in 25 starts.
He became the first player in MLB history to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards in the same season. In the postseason, he went 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA, averaging eight innings per start, including a complete game win of 146 pitches to win Game 3 of the 1981 World Series. "This was not Fernando's best game," Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully said. "It was his finest."
Achievements
Throughout the decade for Valenzuela. He was selected for the All-Star Game every year from 1981 to 1986. In the last of them, he struck out the first five batters in the game he faced (Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr., Jesse Barfield, Lou Whitaker, and Teddy Higuera) on his way to 21 wins that year - the most in his career.
Valenzuela, a .200 hitter with 10 home runs, won two Silver Slugger awards. His intelligence and agility in defense throughout his career culminated in a Gold Glove in 1986. In his last season with the Dodgers, he pitched a no-hitter on June 29, 1990 against the St. Louis Cardinals, inspiring Scully's famous phrase: “If you have a hat, throw it in the air”.
17 seasons in the Majors
In 17 seasons in the Major Leagues, the Mexican pitcher compiled a record of 173-153 and an ERA of 3.54 with the Dodgers (1980-90), the Los Angeles Angels (1991), the Baltimore Orioles (1993), the Philadelphia Phillies (1994), the San Diego Padres (1995-97), and the St. Louis Cardinals (1997). The Dodgers inducted Valenzuela as part of the inaugural class of the Dodgers Baseball Legends in 2018 and retired his number on August 11, 2023.
Outside the field, he was one of the Spanish broadcast narrators for the Dodgers starting in 2003, remaining for 22 seasons. Valenzuela had left his job as a commentator for the Spanish broadcast of the Dodgers in September without giving explanations. It was reported that he had been hospitalized earlier this month. His work kept him as a regular presence at Dodger Stadium before games.
Acknowledgements
Valenzuela has been inducted into numerous Halls of Fame, including the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame. He was very active in supporting various Latin teams and initiatives in the community. He was honored for his work in the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
He remained popular among fans who sought him out for photos and autographs. Although he was never elected to the MLB Hall of Fame. However, he is part of Cooperstown, which features several of his relics, including a signed ball from his no-hitter game in 1990.