Fernando Valenzuela was on the minds of both the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at the World Series opener on Friday between these famous teams.
An informal memorial had formed at a sign welcoming fans to Dodger Stadium, set up shortly after the pitcher’s death on Tuesday, and it was still thriving three days later. Large blue-and-white floral arrangements, including one with “34″ to honor his jersey number, were placed at the entrance to the stadium.
A video celebrating Valenzuela’s career kicked off the pregame events. A mariachi band from his home state of Sonora in Mexico played while photos from his career appeared on the screens. The music shifted from somber to lively.
Flags at the ballpark were lowered to half-staff. During a moment of silence, fans chanted “Fernando!” to honor Valenzuela before the first pitch, with some wearing sombreros.
Former teammates Orel Hershiser and Steve Yeager did not throw the ceremonial first pitch. Instead, Hershiser set the ball on the back of the mound, where No. 34 was engraved.
Valenzuela’s wife, Linda, and their four children joined manager Dave Roberts as the Dodgers stood along third base before the national anthem, which was sung by Brad Paisley.
Fans gathered around a large white board to write messages in remembrance.
The Dodgers will wear a No. 34 patch on their uniform sleeves during the World Series and the 2025 season.
“If there are two people who probably had the biggest impact on this organization, I think you would say Jackie Robinson and Fernando Valenzuela,” Roberts said. “No disrespect to anyone else, but if you look at the current fan base, many people here support the Dodgers from south of the border because of Fernando.”
Roberts was just 9 years old when Valenzuela and his unique delivery style sparked “Fernandomania.” In 1981, the Mexican-born left-handed pitcher won both the National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year, and he is still the only player to achieve this.
He had been part of the team’s Spanish-language broadcasts for a couple of decades.
“His legacy continues to live on,” Roberts said. “He was a friend of mine, and it’s sad for me and his family not to see him in the booth or to say hello. But Fernando was a gentleman, a great Dodger, and such a humble man.”
Valenzuela was honored around Dodger Stadium with a new mural on a wall near left field, along with floral arrangements and blue ribbons near his framed jersey and Silver Slugger awards in the hallway outside the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
Wednesday marked the 43rd anniversary of Valenzuela’s 147-pitch complete game that helped the Dodgers beat the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series. The Dodgers went on to win the championship.
Today, starting pitchers often leave the game by the fourth or fifth innings, which is a big change from Valenzuela’s time.
“There’s a lot more hitting now. It’s more high-scoring, while back then there were more balls in play, fewer strikeouts, and games were quicker with pitchers going deeper into the game,” Roberts said. “So those days of the 147-pitch games are not coming back. I would love to have that nine-inning, complete-game shutout too.”
Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón, who will start Game 2 on Saturday, appreciates the times when starters would last until the sixth or seventh innings with over 100 pitches thrown.
“Now you get two times through the lineup, and the bullpen is really strong these days, plus these guys throw so hard, so it’s easy to rely on them,” said Rodón, who has Cuban heritage. “It’s tough with the news of Fernando. He was amazing. He made a big impact with the Dodgers, and he was a tremendous pitcher.”
Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell is the only active major leaguer who throws a screwball, the tricky pitch that Valenzuela mastered in the early 1980s. He met Valenzuela last summer, and they both showed each other how they grip the pitch that breaks in the opposite direction of a curveball.
If Honeywell gets the chance to pitch in the World Series, he said, “I’ll turn one loose for him.”
