The Los Angeles Dodgers will retire Fernando Valenzuela’s No. 34 in August, more than 40 years after he made his debut with the organization.
The retirement ceremony will be held during the Aug. 11–13 weekend that the team has called “Fernandomania.” The Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies that weekend.
He will become the 12th player in the storied history of the Dodgers to be so honored.
“To be a part of the group that includes so many legends is a great honor,” Valenzuela, 62, said in a news release. “But also for the fans—the support they’ve given me as a player and working for the Dodgers, this is also for them. I’m happy for all the fans and all the people who have followed my career.”
Valenzuela showed his promise as a 19-year-old as a September 1980 call-up, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 10 relief appearances.
The following year, he won the National League Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards as Fernandomania took hold in Los Angeles. He was 13–7 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 starts, which led the league in the strike-shortened season. He pitched 11 complete games to lead the NL, and he topped the majors with eight shutouts and 180 strikeouts in 192 1/3 innings. He also won Game 3 of the World Series, in which the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in six games.
He pitched for the Dodgers through the 1990 season, posting a record of 141–116 with a 3.31 ERA, 107 complete games and 29 shutouts in 331 games (320 starts) with the franchise.
After the Dodgers released him in March 1991, Valenzuela pitched for the Angels, Padres, Orioles, Phillies and Cardinals before retiring in 1997.
He joins Pee Wee Reese, Tommy Lasorda, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Jim Gilliam, Don Sutton, Walter Alston, Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson and Don Drysdale as Dodgers players to have their numbers retired.
