Baseball lost a legend on Tuesday.
Former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who became the only player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the same season in 1981, died at 63, three days before Game 1 of the 2024 World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees.
The two iconic franchises last met in the Fall Classic in 1981 during the height of “Fernandomania.”
Affectionately known as “El Toro” (which translates to “The Bull”), Valenzuela won Game 3 of the Dodgers’ 4-2 series win over the Yankees.
His win was Los Angeles’ first in the series after New York took a 2-0 lead. Valenzuela pitched his 13th complete game of the season in the 5-4 home win, allowing four earned runs and striking out six batters on 147 pitches.
It was by no means his best performance, as Valenzuela allowed nine hits, including two home runs, and seven walks, but he held the Yankees to 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and got Yankees outfielder Lou Piniella to strike out swinging for the game’s final out.
