Dodgers legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela dies at 63

Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who impressed “Fernandomania” whereas profitable the NL Cy Younger Award and Rookie of the Yr in 1981, has died at 63.

The Dodgers introduced the information, saying Valenzuela died Tuesday night time at a Los Angeles hospital. They didn’t present the trigger or different particulars.

Valenzuela’s dying comes because the Dodgers put together to open the World Sequence on Friday night time at residence towards theNew York Yankees. Main League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred stated Valenzuela can be honored through the Sequence at Dodger Stadium.

After pitching within the majors for 17 seasons, Valenzuela served as a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers, beginning in 2003. He had stepped away fromhis broadcasting duties earlier than the beginning of those playoffs to “concentrate on his well being,” the workforce stated.

Known as up late within the 1980 season as a reliever, Valenzuela, who was born in Navojoa, Mexico, took the baseball world by storm within the strike-shortened 1981 season. After Jerry Reuss was injured on the eve of Opening Day, Dodgers supervisor Tommy Lasorda gave the ball to the 20-year-old Valenzuela, who had by no means began a serious league sport in his profession.

He responded with a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astrosand went on to start the season with an 8-0 report, together with 5 shutouts, and an 0.50 ERA.

“Tommy Lasorda got here as much as me and stated, ‘Are you able to pitch tomorrow?’ I stated, ‘I am prepared,'” Valenzuela recalled in 2023. “That is what I used to be searching for, the chance to point out what I can do.”

Along with his Mexican roots, Valenzuela’s pitching movement — the stout determine glancing skyward on the apex of every windup — was a success. His signature pitch was the screwball, taught to him by teammate Bobby Castillo in 1979. Throughout Valenzuela’s warmups, ABBA’s hit “Fernando” blared from the audio system. Latino followers turned out in massive numbers — each at residence and on the street — to see “El Toro,” the Bull.

Although Valenzuela has not been elected to the Baseball Corridor of Fame, he stays part of Cooperstown, which options a number of of his artifacts, together with a signed ball from his no-hitter in 1990.

“His charisma was unbelievable,” Corridor of Fame Dodgers Spanish-language announcer Jaime Jarrin stated in 2023. “The truth that he got here right here to the most important leagues after spending just some weeks in San Antonio at Double-A — and from the start, he was simply wonderful. And the individuals fell in love with him.”

Valenzuela completed the 1981 season with a 13-7 report, 2.48 ERA, 11 full video games and eight shutouts. He led the Nationwide League with 192 innings pitched and topped the majors with 180 strikeouts, turning into the primary participant to win Rookie of the Yr and the Cy Younger Award.

That season was the beginning of six straight All-Star appearances for the left-hander. Valenzuela completed third in Cy Younger voting in 1982, fifth in 1985 and second in 1986 earlier than a shoulder damage hindered him for the remainder of his profession. He received one other World Sequence title with the Dodgers in 1988 (although he didn’t pitch within the postseason) in addition to Silver Slugger awards in 1981 and 1983.

“He is among the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes,” Stan Kasten, president and CEO of the Dodgers, stated in a press release. “He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania season of 1981 and has remained near our hearts ever since, not solely as a participant but additionally as a broadcaster. He has left us all too quickly. Our deepest condolences exit to his spouse Linda and his household.”

Valenzuela pitched for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990, together with a no-hitter on June 29, 1990, that got here in a6-0 victory over theSt. Louis Cardinalsat Dodger Stadium. It was an emotional profession spotlight for Valenzuela, who struck out seven and walked three.

“If in case you have a sombrero, throw it to the sky!” Corridor of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully exclaimed in his sport name.

From 1983 to 1987, Valenzuela averaged 262 innings pitched and 13 full video games for the Dodgers. He had a streak of 255 consecutive begins, which led to August 1988. He registered 20 full video games in 1986, when he received a league-high 21 video games and had a 3.14 ERA. He had 96 full video games in his first seven seasons.

He retired in 1997, and Valenzuela stays among the many franchise leaders in wins (141), strikeouts (1,759), innings pitched (2,348), begins (320), full video games (107) and shutouts (29).

“63 is approach too younger. … A chunk of my childhood is gone,” actor and “Entry Hollywood” co-host Mario Lopez posted on X. “Rising up as a Mexican child one of many predominant causes I am a Dodgers fan is due to Fernando. … Not solely a terrific participant, however a terrific man to the neighborhood. What a legend.”

Valenzuela’s rise from his tiny hometown of Etchohuaquila within the Mexican state of Sonora to stardom in america was inconceivable. He was the youngest little one in a big household who tagged alongside when his older brothers performed baseball.

He signed his first professional contract at age 16 and shortly started overpowering older gamers within the Mexican Central League.

In 1978, legendary Dodgers scout Mike Brito was in Mexico to observe a shortstop when Valenzuela entered the sport as a reliever. He instantly commanded Brito’s consideration, and at age 18, Valenzuela signed with the Dodgers in 1979. He was despatched to the California League that very same yr.

In 1980, Valenzuela was referred to as as much as the Dodgers in September and shortly made his large league debut as a reliever.

Valenzuela’s rise from humble beginnings in Mexico and his feats on the mound made him massively standard and influential in Los Angeles’ Latino neighborhood whereas serving to appeal to new followers to MLB. Their fondness for him continued for years after his retirement.

“Fernando was an excellent ambassador for baseball,” Manfred stated in a press release Tuesday night time. “He persistently supported the expansion of the sport by means of the World Baseball Traditional and at MLB occasions throughout his residence nation. As a member of the Dodger broadcasting workforce for greater than 20 years, Fernando helped to achieve a brand new technology of followers and domesticate their love of the sport.

“Fernando will all the time stay a beloved determine in Dodger historical past and a particular supply of pleasure for the thousands and thousands of Latino followers he impressed.”

Valenzuela was unceremoniously launched by the Dodgers in March 1991, days earlier than the season began. He pitched for 5 different groups over the following seven seasons — the CaliforniaAngels(1991), Baltimore Orioles (1993), Philadelphia Phillies (1994), San Diego Padres (1995-97) and the Cardinals (1997) — earlier than retiring with a 173-153 report, 3.54 ERA and a couple of,074 strikeouts over 17 campaigns.

Six years after his taking part in profession had ended — and 14 years after he threw his final pitch for the Dodgers — Valenzuela returned as a member of the Dodgers’ broadcast workforce in 2003.

The Dodgers, breaking from their custom of solely retiring the numbers of Corridor of Famers, retired his No. 34 throughout a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium in August 2023. The quantity had been unofficially retired, and by no means worn by one other participant, since Valenzuela had been let go by the workforce 32 years earlier.

Valenzuela, who grew to become a U.S. citizen in 2015, served on the teaching employees for Mexico through the World Baseball Traditional in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017. He was a component proprietor of the Mexican League workforce Tigres de Quintana Roo, with son Fernando serving as workforce president and son Ricky serving as basic supervisor. Fernando Valenzuela Jr. performed within the Padres andChicago White Soxorganizations as a primary baseman.

Along with his sons, Valenzuela is survived by his spouse, Linda, who was a schoolteacher from Mexico whom he married in 1981, and daughters Linda and Maria, in addition to seven grandchildren.

ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez and The Related Press contributed to this report.