Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela died of septic shock, according to his death certificate.
Valenzuela died last month at the age of 63 and TMZ obtained his death certificate on Tuesday, which also noted decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis as underlying causes for the pitcher’s death.
Valenzuela, who pitched 11 years with the Dodgers before going on to work as a baseball broadcaster, had his remains cremated, and they are at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
According to TMZ, the medical examiner believed that Valenzuela had suffered from a rare brain disorder known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Valenzuela played 17 total seasons in the MLB, spending time with the Angels, Orioles, Phillies, Padres and Cardinals after his Dodges tenure.
He was named a six-time All-Star and won the CY Young and Rookie of the Year in 1981.
Valenzuela won his first of two Silver Slugger awards in 1981, which also marked a year he won the World Series.
He won 173 games while striking out 2,074 and held a 3.54 ERA during his MLB career.
The former Dodger spent 22 years as a Spanish language broadcaster for the ballclub, leaving the job in September to focus on his health.
“Fernando Valenzuela was one of the most impactful players of his generation. With his distinctive pitching style, the Dodger left-hander’s rookie season generated so much excitement in the U.S. and his native Mexico that it became commonly referred to as ‘Fernandomania,’” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
“As a member of the Dodger broadcasting team for more than 20 years, Fernando helped to reach a new generation of fans and cultivate their love of the game. Fernando will always remain a beloved figure in Dodger history and a special source of pride for the millions of Latino fans he inspired.”
