Hold onto your baseball caps, Dodgers Nation—because we just lost one of the biggest legends to ever grace the mound. The man behind “Fernandomania”, Fernando Valenzuela, has passed away at 63, leaving fans across the globe in absolute shock.
Late Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that Valenzuela had died in a Los Angeles hospital. While they didn’t spill the details, the sadness in their statement was clear. This heart-wrenching news arrives as the Dodgers are gearing up to face the Yankees in the World Series—just wow. Talk about bittersweet timing :*(.
The Rise of “El Toro”
Valenzuela, famously known as “El Toro,” became a household name when he burst onto the scene in 1981. Born in Navojoa, Mexico, he was called up as a reliever late in the 1980 season. But everything changed when Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda handed the 20-year-old the ball on Opening Day of the 1981 season. Guess what? Valenzuela crushed it. He kicked off with an 8-0 record, including five shutouts, and a jaw-dropping 0.50 ERA. A star was born!
As if that wasn’t enough, Valenzuela became the first player to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards in the same season. That year ignited a fandom like no other—Fernandomania. From his iconic skyward glance before each pitch to his trusty screwball, Valenzuela had the baseball world (and pretty much every Latino fan) hooked.
A Legacy Bigger Than Baseball
Even after retiring, Valenzuela stuck around the Dodgers organization, serving as a Spanish-language broadcaster starting in 2003. He was a fixture of the team—on and off the field. While he stepped away from broadcasting to focus on his health earlier this year, nobody expected this.
Dodgers president Stan Kasten called him one of the most influential Dodgers of all time, and it’s hard to argue with that. If there was a Dodgers Mount Rushmore, you’d bet El Toro’s face would be carved right up there.
Fernandomania Forever
Valenzuela’s influence goes way beyond stats (although, let’s not forget that no-hitter he threw in 1990—absolute chills!). For many, especially the Latino community, he was a symbol of hope, pride, and possibility. Dodgers fans still chant his name at games, and his legacy will live on long after his untimely passing.
As we look ahead to the World Series opener, it’s only fitting that Major League Baseball will honor Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium. Whether it’s a tribute video or something more, you can bet fans will feel this loss deeply.
So, here’s to El Toro, a legend who will never be forgotten. RIP Fernando Valenzuela. Dodgers Nation, throw your sombreros to the sky!