Dodgers reveal jersey patch to honor pitching legend Fernando Valenzuela
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- When the Dodgers hit the field for the first game of the World Series on Friday, the team will be honoring the late Fernando Valenzuela with a tribute on their jerseys.
The team on Thursday announced that the player uniforms will have a patch in memory of him - not only during the highly-anticipated Fall Classic against the New York Yankees, but through the 2025 season.
The circular patch with a black background features the name "Fernando" in white and his jersey number 34, which the team retired last year.
Valenzuela, who sparked a fan phenomenon known as "Fernandomania" as a rookie and became a Dodgers legend, died Tuesday evening at age 63.
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.
ESPN contributed to this report.
