Legendary Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela passes away

On Oct. 2, Valenzuela stepped away from the published sales space to concentrate on his well being. The Dodgers launched an announcement on the time saying, “He and his household respect the love and help of followers as he goals to return for the 2025 season…” 

The information comes days earlier than the Dodgers play within the World Collection. 

Valenzuela performed with the Dodgers for 10 years and gained a championship with Los Angeles throughout his stellar rookie marketing campaign in 1981. That season, dubbed “Fernandomania,” noticed Valenzuela grow to be the primary participant ever to win the Rookie of the 12 months Award and the Cy Younger in the identical yr.

Via the primary eight video games of his profession, Valenzuela was one of the best pitcher in baseball. Valenzuela threw an entire sport in all eight of these video games and had a minuscule 0.50 ERA with 68 strikeouts. 

Valenzuela was a fan favourite all through his time as a Dodger. He was particularly common with the Latino group in Los Angeles and around the globe. Followers gave him the nickname El Toro, which suggests “The Bull.” 

Valenzuela would bounce round 5 extra groups after leaving the Dodgers earlier than retiring in 1997. He then returned to the Dodgers, this time within the broadcast sales space for the crew’s Spanish protection. 

El Toro is so essential to Dodgers historical past that in 2023, the crew formally retired his quantity and added him to the Ring of Honor. The Dodgers broke a long-time custom of solely retiring numbers of gamers who had been inducted into the Corridor of Fame. 

Those that knew Valenzuela have launched statements expressing their unhappiness and grief.

Jaime Jarrin, who labored alongside Valenzuela on the published, known as it “a crushing blow.”

“He meant a lot to the Latino fan base,” Jarrin stated. “Individuals who got here right here from Latin America did not care about baseball. However they grew to become followers of Fernando and, due to him, baseball followers.”

Commissioner Rob Manfred stated that MLB will honor Valenzuela through the World Collection at Dodger Stadium.