Dodgers legendary pitcher Valenzuela dies at 63
Fernando Valenzuela, the impetus behind “Fernandomania” while winning National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year honors in 1981 as the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series, has died at age 63.
The Dodgers announced the news, saying Valenzuela died Tuesday night at a Los Angeles hospital. They did not provide the cause or other details.
Valenzuela’s death comes as the Dodgers prepare to open the World Series on Friday night at home against the New York Yankees. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said Valenzuela would be honored during the Series at Dodger Stadium.
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.
Called up late in the 1980 season as a reliever, Valenzuela, who was born in Navojoa, Mexico, took the baseball world by storm in the strike-shortened 1981 season. After Jerry Reuss was injured on the eve of Opening Day, Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda gave the ball to the 20-year-old Valenzuela, who had never started a major league game in his career.
He responded with a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros and went on to begin the season with an 8-0 record, including five shutouts, and an 0.50 ERA.
“Tommy Lasorda came up to me and said, ‘Are you ready to pitch tomorrow?’ I said, ‘I’m ready,'” Valenzuela recalled in 2023. “That’s what I was looking for, the opportunity to show what I can do.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers mourn the passing of legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela. pic.twitter.com/MXeBlDzDWJ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 23, 2024
In addition to his Mexican roots, Valenzuela’s pitching motion — the stout figure glancing skyward at the apex of each windup — was a hit. His signature pitch was the screwball, taught to him by teammate Bobby Castillo in 1979. During Valenzuela’s warmups, ABBA’s hit “Fernando” blared from the speakers. Latino fans turned out in large numbers — both at home and on the road — to see “El Toro,” the Bull.
Though Valenzuela has not been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, he remains a part of Cooperstown, which features several of his artifacts, including a signed ball from his no-hitter in 1990.
“His charisma was unbelievable,” Hall of Fame Dodgers Spanish-language announcer Jaime Jarrin said in 2023. “The fact that he came here to the major leagues after spending just a few weeks in San Antonio at Double-A — and from the beginning, he was just amazing. And the people fell in love with him.”
“He was only 19 years old. Little bit chubby, long hair, Yaqui Indian features,” said Jarrin, who served as Valenzuela’s interpreter early in his career. “Those things really cultivated the people, and they fell in love with Fernando in a matter of a few weeks.”
Valenzuela finished the 1981 season with a 13-7 record, 2.48 ERA, 11 complete games and 8 shutouts. He led the National League with 192⅓ innings pitched and topped the majors with 180 strikeouts, becoming the first player to win Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award.
That season was the start of six straight All-Star appearances for the left-hander. Valenzuela finished third in Cy Young voting in 1982, fifth in 1985 and second in 1986 before a shoulder injury hindered him for the rest of his career. He won another World Series title with the Dodgers in 1988 (though he did not pitch in the postseason) as well as Silver Slugger awards in 1981 and 1983.
“He is one of the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes,” Stan Kasten, president and CEO of the Dodgers, said in a statement. “He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania season of 1981 and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a broadcaster. He has left us all too soon. Our deepest condolences go out to his wife Linda and his family.”
Valenzuela pitched for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990, including a no-hitter on June 29, 1990, that came in a 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. It was an emotional career highlight for Valenzuela, who struck out seven and walked three.
“If you have a sombrero, throw it to the sky!” Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully exclaimed in his game call.
From 1983 to 1987, Valenzuela averaged 262 innings pitched and 13 complete games for the Dodgers. He had a streak of 255 consecutive starts, which ended in August 1988. He registered 20 complete games in 1986, when he won a league-high 21 games and had a 3.14 ERA. He had 96 complete games in his first seven seasons.
He retired in 1997, and Valenzuela remains among the franchise leaders in wins (141), strikeouts (1,759), innings pitched (2,348⅔), starts (320), complete games (107) and shutouts (29).
Valenzuela’s rise from his tiny hometown of Etchohuaquila in the Mexican state of Sonora to stardom in the United States was improbable. He was the youngest child in a large family who tagged along when his older brothers played baseball.
He signed his first pro contract at age 16 and soon began overpowering older players in the Mexican Central League.
In 1978, legendary Dodgers scout Mike Brito was in Mexico to watch a shortstop when Valenzuela entered the game as a reliever. He immediately commanded Brito’s attention, and at age 18, Valenzuela signed with the Dodgers in 1979. He was sent to the California League that same year.
In 1980, Valenzuela was called up to the Dodgers in September and soon made his big league debut as a reliever.
Valenzuela’s rise from humble beginnings in Mexico and his feats on the mound made him hugely popular and influential in Los Angeles’ Latino community while helping attract new fans to MLB. Their fondness for him continued for years after his retirement.
“Fernando was an outstanding ambassador for baseball,” Manfred said in a statement Tuesday night. “He consistently supported the growth of the game through the World Baseball Classic and at MLB events across his home country. 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.”
Valenzuela was unceremoniously released by the Dodgers in March 1991, days before the season started. He pitched for five other teams over the next seven seasons — the California Angels (1991), Baltimore Orioles (1993), Philadelphia Phillies (1994), San Diego Padres (1995-97) and the Cardinals (1997) — before retiring with a 173-153 record, 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts over 17 campaigns.
Six years after his playing career had ended — and 14 years after he threw his last pitch for the Dodgers — Valenzuela returned as a member of the Dodgers’ broadcast team in 2003.
The Dodgers, breaking from their tradition of only retiring the numbers of Hall of Famers, retired his No. 34 during a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium in August 2023. The number had been unofficially retired, and never worn by another player, since Valenzuela had been let go by the team 32 years earlier.
Valenzuela, who became a U.S. citizen in 2015, served on the coaching staff for Mexico during the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017. He was a part owner of the Mexican League team Tigres de Quintana Roo, with son Fernando serving as team president and son Ricky serving as general manager. Fernando Valenzuela Jr. played in the Padres and Chicago White Sox organizations as a first baseman.
In addition to his sons, Valenzuela is survived by his wife, Linda, who was a schoolteacher from Mexico whom he married in 1981, and daughters Linda and Maria, as well as seven grandchildren.
ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
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2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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