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The legacy of Fernando Valenzuela (2:51)
Alden Gonzalez reflects on Fernando Valenzuela’s life and legacy for the Dodgers and Major League Baseball after the pitcher’s death at the age of 63. (2:51)
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ESPN News Services
Oct 24, 2024, 02:32 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers will honor franchise great Fernando Valenzuela with a jersey patch in the World Series and during the 2025 season.
The team unveiled the patch on Thursday — a circular design with a black background, his name in white and a large No. 34 in Dodger Blue.
Valenzuela, who sparked a fan phenomenon known as “Fernandomania” as a rookie and became a Dodgers legend, died Tuesday evening at age 63.
In memory of our hero Fernando Valenzuela, the Dodgers will wear this uniform patch during the World Series and throughout the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/7HozGMf2Tr
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 24, 2024
No cause of death was given.
Valenzuela pitched for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990, then had stints with the Angels (1991), Orioles (1993), Phillies (1994), Padres (1995-97) and Cardinals (1997). He finished with a 173-153 record, a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts in 2,930 innings over 453 games (424 starts).
He riveted Southern California in 1981, when as a 20-year-old from Mexico he went 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 starts, throwing 11 complete games — eight of them shutouts — to win both Rookie of the Year and the National League Cy Young Award.
The Dodgers won the World Series against the New York Yankees that season — their opponent in this year’s World Series — and Valenzuela was 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA in five starts in that postseason.
After pitching in the majors for 17 seasons, Valenzuela served as a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers, starting in 2003. He had stepped away from his broadcasting duties before the start of these playoffs to “focus on his health,” the team said.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.
