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Dodgers Legend Fernando Valenzuela Dies at Age 63

Valenzuela was the first pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards in the same year and inspired “Fernandomania” in Los Angeles during his historic 1981 campaign.

Tom Dierberger

Valenzuela played 11 of his 17 major league seasons for the Dodgers.
Valenzuela played 11 of his 17 major league seasons for the Dodgers. / Getty Images
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Los Angeles Dodgers legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela has died at the age of 63.

The Dodgers announced that Valenzuela passed away Tuesday night at a hospital in Los Angeles but did not provide any further details.

Valenzuela pitched 17 years in the big leagues, including 11 seasons for the Dodgers from 1980 to '91. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, Valenzuela became the first player in MLB history to win the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award in the same year, logging a 13–7 record and 2.48 ERA in 25 starts for Los Angeles.

Valenzuela was born in Navojoa, Mexico, to two farmers and excelled in the Mexican League before the Dodgers bought his contract in 1979. Across 17 MLB seasons, he registered a 173–153 record with a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts. Along with the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young nods, the lefthander was named an All-Star in six straight seasons from 1981 to '86, won two Silver Sluggers in ‘81 and '83, earned a Gold Glove in ‘86 and received MVP votes four times.

Valenzuela retired from baseball after spending the 1997 season with the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals. He also pitched for the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies. Valenzuela was on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2003 and ‘04, but didn’t receive enough votes to stay among the nominees past his second year of eligibility.

Valenzuela's success early in his career quickly made him a fan favorite among the Los Angeles faithful, as "Fernandomania" spread across the city containing a large community of Mexican immigrants. Valenzuela's No. 34 was retired by the Dodgers in 2023.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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