Fernando Valenzuela, the driving force behind “Fernandomania,” who captured 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, has passed away at the age of 63.
The Dodgers confirmed the news, stating that Valenzuela died Tuesday night at a hospital in Los Angeles, though they did not disclose the cause or any additional details.
Before the team’s postseason journey in 2024, the Dodgers announced that Valenzuela would be stepping back from his radio broadcasting role for the remainder of the season to prioritize his health.
Stan Kasten, the president and CEO of the Dodgers, praised Valenzuela, stating, “He is one of the most influential Dodgers ever and deserves a place on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes.”
MLB commissioner Robert Manfred, Jr. recognized Valenzuela as “one of the most impactful players of his generation” and mentioned that he would be honored during the upcoming World Series.
During his 17-year Major League Baseball career, Fernando Valenzuela earned six All-Star selections. He concluded his career with 173 regular-season victories and over 2,000 strikeouts.
Valenzuela spent 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and also played for the California Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, and San Diego Padres.
The youngest of 12 siblings, Fernando Valenzuela came from the small Mexican town of Etchohuaquila in Sonora and would rise to become one of the most legendary figures in Major League Baseball.
Fans adored him not only for his talent but also for his unique appearance. He had long, thick hair, a slightly stocky build, and his memorable windup, calm presence, and impressive pitching performances won the hearts of the Latino community and baseball fans worldwide.
In 1981, Valenzuela was thrust into the international spotlight on just 24 hours’ notice when Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda named him the Opening Day starting pitcher, stepping in due to injuries to the team’s top two starters.
Dodgers executives could never have imagined the scenario they faced, especially considering they had previously relied on Cy Young Award winners like Don Newcombe, Don Drysdale, and Sandy Koufax to start their seasons.
In contrast, Valenzuela had only pitched 17 relief innings in the majors, all of which were scoreless, and his experience hardly aligned with that of a typical Opening Day starter.
To add to the pressure, Valenzuela was facing the defending NL West champion Houston Astros, who had knocked the Dodgers out in a tiebreaker playoff the season before.
Nonetheless, the 5’11”, 180-pound lefty rose to the occasion, retiring 11 of the last 12 batters he faced and completing a five-hit shutout. The Dodgers won the game 2-0 in front of a packed crowd of 50,511 at Dodger Stadium, according to Baseball Almanac statistics.
The previously unheralded rookie pitcher quickly became a sensation, following his Opening Day performance with seven consecutive wins in his next seven starts, showcasing his dominance.
Known as ‘El Toro,’ he wrapped up his rookie season with a 13-7 record and a 2.48 ERA during the strike-shortened year, culminating in a complete game victory for the Dodgers in the World Series against the New York Yankees in 1981.
Valenzuela made history as the only player to win both the Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year Award in the same season.
His rise to fame extended beyond the baseball diamond; he became a cultural icon and a source of inspiration for the Latino community in the United States.
In a ritualistic manner, fans flocked to Dodger Stadium to watch the burly kid from Sonora pitch, often donning Valenzuela merchandise. The stadium was alive with Mexican folk music, and the Dodgers hired additional Spanish-speaking ushers to cater to the growing Hispanic audience.
The number of Mexican radio stations airing Dodgers games surged from three to 17, according to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). At the peak of “Fernandomania,” Spanish-language broadcasts attracted more than double the audience of Vin Scully’s broadcasts, as reported by SABR.
Valenzuela continued to shine after his rookie year, earning six consecutive All-Star selections, along with two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove.
Valenzuela’s standout season came in 1986, when he achieved a career-high 21 wins, including an impressive 20 complete games.
In 1991, the Dodgers released him during spring training. Following his time with the Dodgers, Valenzuela had brief stints with other major league teams but struggled to regain his former glory before ultimately retiring in 2017.
After retiring from playing, Valenzuela started working as a commentator on the Dodgers’ Spanish-language radio broadcasts in 2003, alongside his former interpreter, Jaime Jarrin.
In 2023, the Dodgers retired Valenzuela’s iconic jersey number 34, making him the first player in the franchise’s history to receive this honor without being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his wife, Linda, and their four children.