Fernando Valenzuela’s presence looms large over Dodger Stadium before World Series opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fernando Valenzuela was on the minds of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees before Friday’s opener of the World Series between the storied franchises.

An informal memorial at a sign welcoming fans to Dodger Stadium that popped up soon after the pitcher’s death on Tuesday was still going strong three days later. Large blue-and-white floral arrangements, including “34” representing his jersey number, were propped on the corner near the entrance to the stadium.

A video highlighting Valenzuela’s career opened the pregame ceremonies. A mariachi group from his native state of Sonora in Mexico played as photos from his career flashed on the videoboards. The mix of guitars, trumpets and violins grew from somber to upbeat.

Ballpark flags were lowered to half-staff. During a moment of silence, fans chanted “Fernando!” in Valenzuela’s honor before the first pitch. Some wore sombreros.

Orel Hershiser and Steve Yeager, former teammates of Valenzuela, didn’t throw the ceremonial first pitch. Instead, Hershiser placed the ball on the back of the mound, where No. 34 was etched.

Valenzuela’s wife, Linda, and their four children joined manager Dave Roberts as the Dodgers lined up along third base before the national anthem performed by Brad Paisley.

Fans crowded around a large white wallboard to write messages in remembrance.

The Dodgers are wearing a No. 34 patch on their uniform sleeves during the World Series and the 2025 season.

“If there’s two people that probably impacted this organization most, I think you would say Jackie Robinson and Fernando Valenzuela,” Roberts said. “No disrespect to anyone else, but if you’re talking about currently the fan base, there’s a lot of people that are here and support the Dodgers south of the border because of Fernando.”

Roberts was just 9 years old when Valenzuela and his unique eyes-to-the-sky delivery led to “Fernandomania.” In 1981, the Mexican-born left-hander won the National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year, still the only player to do so.

He had worked on the team’s Spanish-language broadcasts for a couple decades.

“His legacy continues to live on,” Roberts said. “He was a friend of mine, and so to not see him up in the booth or to say hello is sad for me and his family. But Fernando was a gentleman, a great Dodger, and what a humble man.”

Valenzuela was remembered around Dodger Stadium in a new mural on a wall near left field and with floral arrangements as well as blue ribbons near his framed jersey and Silver Slugger awards in the hallway outside the Dodgers’ clubhouse.

Wednesday was the 43rd anniversary of Valenzuela’s 147-pitch complete game that led the Dodgers over the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series. The Dodgers went on to win the championship.

Today’s starters are often done by the fourth or fifth innings in a dramatic change from Valenzuela’s era.

“There’s a lot more slug. It’s more high scoring, whereas in those days a lot of balls in play, not as many strikeouts, quicker games, pitchers obviously going deeper in the game,” Roberts said. “So those days of the 147-pitch exercise are not going to be coming back. I would love to have that nine-inning, complete-game shutout too.”

Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón, who starts Game 2 on Saturday, appreciates the days when starters would last until the sixth or seventh innings with pitch counts that topped 100.

“Now you get two times through the order, and the bullpen is so good nowadays, and these guys throw so hard, it’s easy to go and rely on them as well,” said Rodón, whose ancestry is Cuban. “It’s tough with the news of Fernando. He was so great. He had a big impact with the Dodgers, and what a tremendous pitcher.”

Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell is the only active major leaguer who throws a screwball, the tricky pitch that Valenzuela used so well in the early 1980s. He met Valenzuela last summer and each showed the other their grips for the pitch that breaks in the opposite direction of a curveball.

On the chance Honeywell comes out of the bullpen in the World Series, he said: “I’ll turn one loose for him.”

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