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Fernando Valenzuela, popular former Dodgers pitcher, dies at 63

Posted on by Vanessa
Fernando Valenzuela, popular former Dodgers pitcher, dies at 63

Fernando Valenzuela, a Los Angeles icon who became a sensation among the Dodgers and the city's Hispanic population through “Fernandomania,” has died, the Dodgers announced Tuesday. He was 63.

A cause of death has not yet been announced.

Valenzuela was a Spanish-language radio host for the Dodgers but stepped down from his role before the start of the 2024 postseason to “focus on his health,” and the team said in a statement that he wanted to return for the 2025 season.

A left-handed hitter from Navojoa, Mexico, Valenzuela's career began completely by accident. In 1978, legendary Dodgers scout Mike Brito traveled to the town of Silao in Guanajuato, Mexico to visit a shortstop named Ali Uscanga. During one game, the unknown Valenzuela came to relief after falling behind at 3-0 and scored three straight goals against Uscanga to eliminate him. Brito recalled that at that moment he “completely forgot about the shortstop.”

The Dodgers quickly signed Valenzuela in 1979, and after a brief stint in the minor leagues, he made his MLB debut the following season. But it wasn't until the beginning of the 1981 season that the left-hander became a star.

Valenzuela was named Los Angeles' Opening Day starter after Jerry Reuss was scratched due to injury. Against the Houston Astros, Valenzuela pitched a complete game shutout – allowing five hits while striking out five batters – en route to a 2-0 win.

“It seems like yesterday when this little chubby kid who was 20 years old started Opening Day for us and set the whole world on fire,” catcher Mike Scioscia said of that day. “What you couldn’t see was the ice water in his veins. He proved how spectacular and magical everything was.”

The game was the start of a sensational season for Valenzuela. He started the season 8-0 in his first eight appearances, all complete games – five of which were shutouts. Because of the dominance, Valenzuela became an overnight star. Playing in a city with a large Hispanic population that has long lived in the area, the community cheered Valenzuela and flocked to Dodger Stadium to watch him pitch, igniting the “Fernandomania” hype.

He finished the season 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA and won both NL Cy Young and NL Rookie of the Year awards – the first player to do so – as the Dodgers won the 1981 World Series won, which included a complete game victory in Game 3 in the Fall Classic against the New York Yankees.

Nicknamed “El Toro,” Valenzuela became a household name in Los Angeles while playing 10 more seasons for the Dodgers. Beloved by Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, Valenzuela was an All-Star every year from 1981 to 1986. He failed to repeat his All-Star numbers in the second half of his time in Dodger blue, but he added another standout moment in his final year with the team.

On June 29, 1990, Scioscia and many Dodger players watched as Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart threw a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays. Valenzuela was scheduled to face the St. Louis Cardinals that night, and after Stewart completed his appearance, Scioscia said Valenzuela gave his teammates a bold prediction.

“You just saw a no-hitter on TV. Now you’re going to see one in person,” Valenzuela said.

The prediction turned out to be a spoiler. Valenzuela struck out seven batters en route to his first career no-hitter. After Valenzuela brought down Pedro Guerrero on a game-winning double play to complete the feat, fellow Dodgers legend Vin Scully made one of his most signature calls in his 67-year broadcasting career.

“If you have a sombrero, throw it into the sky!” Scully announced.

Valenzuela spent the next seven years with various teams before ending his MLB career in 1997. In 17 seasons he had a 173-153 record with a 3.54 ERA, but in his time with the Dodgers he had a 141-116 record and a 3.31 ERA, which ranked ninth in the league in wins Franchise history proven.

For all his success and the fans he brought to Dodger Stadium, Valenzuela hasn't received the highest honor the team bestows on its former players in quite some time.

The franchise criteria for retiring a jersey number is that the player must spend the majority of his career with the team and be in the Baseball Hall of Fame – with the exception of former player and coach Jim Gilliam in 1978. Valenzuela never made it It was inducted into the Hall of Fame after being on the ballot for two years in 2003-04. Although he never made it to Cooperstown, no Dodgers player ever wore Valenzuela's number, 34, after finishing his playing days for Los Angeles.

Still, Dodgers fans lobbied for decades to have Valenzuela added to the team's Ring of Honor, citing his importance to the city and the fan base, as well as his paving the way to the majors for Mexican baseball players. Then, more than 30 years after he threw his last pitch for the Dodgers, the team retired his number in August 2023.

Although current Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the honor was “long overdue,” Valenzuela didn't believe that day would come. When he was told it was going to happen, the first thing that came to mind was that he could say, “Really?”

“It really surprised me. I never expected that,” Valenzuela said.

But it's hard to argue against what Valenzuela has done for baseball and what he means to many Dodgers fans. For a franchise that has names like “Jackie” and “Vin” synonymous with the team, “Fernando” is also associated with the team. It's hard not to see a number 34 jersey being worn in the crowd at Dodger Stadium. As Dodgers radio announcer Charley Steiner put it, Valenzuela “exceeds what he did for the Dodgers.”

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