LOS ÁNGELES (AP) — Fernando Valenzuela will be honored by the Los Angeles Dodgers with a patch of his number 34 on the team’s uniforms during the World Series and the 2025 season. The circular patch will be on the sleeves of the jerseys with a white outline, surrounded by a black background and a blue outline. “FERNANDO” will be stamped in white capital letters over the number.
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Valenzuela, who in 1981 won the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the National League as the best pitcher, died at the age of 63 on Tuesday, one day before the anniversary of his 147-pitch complete game that led the Dodgers to defeat the Yankees in the third game of the World Series that season.
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After losing the first two games at Yankee Stadium, the Dodgers won four in a row for their first title since 1965.
That was the last time the Dodgers and Yankees faced each other in the World Series until the matchup that will begin this Friday, October 25th in Los Angeles.
Why is Fernando Valenzuela so important to the Dodgers?
Selected to the All-Star Game six times, Valenzuela had a record of 173-153 in 17 seasons, including 141-116 with the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990. His presence triggered "Fernandomania" among fans, and he worked for the team as a Spanish-language commentator from 2003 to 2024.
The "Toro" had a great impact on the Latino community in the United States, especially in California, to the point of turning him into a symbol that endures to this day.
Since the Mexican was cut by the Dodgers in 1991, no one has ever played with Valenzuela's number "34" again, and it was officially retired last August by one of the most important and traditional franchises in Major League Baseball.