- ABC News
- October 24, 2024
The Los Angeles Dodgers will honor franchise great Fernando Valenzuela with a jersey patch in the World Series and during the 2025 season. The team unveiled the patch on Thursday -- a circular design with a black background, his name in white and a large No. 34 in Dodger Blue. 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...