Overview
- Valenzuela died on Oct. 22, 2024 in Los Angeles at age 63 after a brief hospitalization reported in the days prior, having stepped away from Dodgers radio playoff broadcasts.
- The Dodgers commemorated him with a No. 34 uniform patch and a memorial ceremony before the World Series, as fans gathered outside Dodger Stadium with flowers and mementos.
- His Dodgers breakthrough produced a rare double of Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in the same season, followed by two World Series titles and six All-Star selections.
- Commentators and former players describe 'Fernandomanía' as a force that energized Latino communities in the U.S. and widened pathways for Mexican players, a legacy noted by writer Michael Jaime-Becerra.
- His final professional appearance came on Nov. 8, 2007 in the Mexican Pacific League, where a fifth-inning double by Karim García preceded his quiet departure from the mound.