Fernando Valenzuela was born on Tuesday, November 1, 1960, in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico. Valenzuela was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 15, 1980, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Fernando Valenzuela baseball stats page.
After being called-up in late September (1980), Fernando Valenzuela appeared in relief in ten games, did not allow a single earned run, and finished the year with two wins and a 0.00 ERA. In 1981, El Toro took the mound as a starter, won his first eight consecutive games, threw seven complete games, five of them were shutouts, and he only allowed a total of four earned runs across the 72 innings — Fernandomania swept the nation.
Fernando Valenzuela Corn Flakes Box | Kellogs Corn Flakes | 1982 (#shm588)
Fernando Valenzuela won the Rookie of the Year Award and the Cy Young Award in 1981, the first pitcher in Major League history to win both during the same season.
Fernando Valenzuela was the first Dodgers' pitcher to win a Silver Slugger Award after he bested all National League pitchers in 1981 (.250 / .262 / .281). Two years later he won again and El Toro remains the only pitcher from Los Angeles to win two Silver Slugger Awards.
Fernando Valenzuela threw more complete games than any other National League pitcher in 1981 (11), 1986 (20) and 1987 (12). Every year between those three, El Toro was in the top four (18 in 1982 / 2nd, 9 in 1983 / 4th, 12 in 1984 / 2nd, 14 in 1985 / 2nd).
Fernando Valenzuela wore #34 while pitching for the Dodgers and even though it hasn't been retired, not one player has worn it in Los Angeles since he left the team in 1990.
Fernando Valenzuela Rookie Card | 1981 Topps Baseball Card (#302)
Baseball Almanac Collection
Fernando Valenzuela joined the "20-Wins Club" in 1986, but then went 14-14 in 1987, 5-8 in 1988, and 10-13 in 1989, as he dealt with lingering injuries. In 1990, his last season with the Dodgers, bounced back from two consecutive losing seasons finishing 13-13 and adding a no-hitter to his resume:
Fernando Valenzuela Bobblehead | Los Angeles Dodgers | Baseball Almanac Collection
Fernando Valenzuela No-Hitter. June 29, 1990.
In terms of no-hitters, Friday June 29 is one of the truly unique dates in baseball history. On that date before a crowd of 38,583 at Dodger Stadium, Fernando Valenzuela fired the second major league no-hitter of the day and a record breaking fourth no-hitter in one month.
Just a few hours before Valenzuela completed his masterpiece, the Oakland A's Dave Stewart had tossed a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the first time no-hitters had been thrown in both leagues on the same day.
The 29-year-old Valenzuela, who was winding down a brilliant career with the NL West's fourth-place Dodgers, entered the game with a 5-6 record against the sixth-place St. Louis Cardinals of the NL East and Jose DeLeon.
In his previous outing just five days earlier, Valenzuela had been pounded by the Cincinnati Reds, yielding eight runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. But this time was different. This time, the colorful Mexican was completely in command.
He struck out seven and walked three, while allowing eight balls to be hit to the outfield. The Cardinals had only one runner advance as far as second base.
Valenzuela began by getting Vince Coleman on a grounder to short. Willie McGee struck out, but Pedro Guerrero reached first base when Kirk Gibson bobbled his fly ball in center. Todd Zeile then flew out to center to end the inning.
The Dodgers' hurler then retired 16 Cardinals in a row. Stan Javier got a lot of action in left, snaring fly balls by Terry Pendleton and Jose Oquendo in the second, Ozzie Smith in the third, and Pedro Guerrero in the fourth. Valenzuela struck out DeLeon and Coleman in the third for his only two-strikeout inning.
The Dodgers got their offense moving early, scoring on Hubie Brooks' sacrifice fly in the first. They added single runs in the middle innings as Javier squeezed home Lenny Harris in the fifth and Brooks homered in the sixth. Gibson drove in two more in the seventh with a single, and Juan Samuel slammed a home run in the eighth.
Valenzuela got into his first jam in the seventh when he issued one out walks to Guerrero and Ziele. But he retired Pendleton on a fly to left and Oquendo on a grounder to third to end the inning.
In the eighth, Valenzuela induced Rex Hudler to bounce out to short, struck out Smith swinging and with Craig Wilson batting in the pitcher's position, nailed him on a fly to center.
Valenzuela fanned Coleman for the third time leading off the ninth. He then walked McGee on four straight pitches. Guerrero followed with a shot up the middle. The ball just tipped Valenzuela's glove, and ricocheted toward the bat at second where Samuel picked it up, touched second and threw to Eddie Murray at first to complete a dramatic game-ending double play.
The play gave Valenzuela a record-setting no hitter. He went on to post a 13-13 record in what would be his last season as a Dodger.
Source: Researched and written by author Rich Westcott. Exclusive update. Printed with written permission. Original text from No-Hitters. McFarland Publishing. 15 February 2000. Page 335-336.
Fernando Valenzuela No-Hitter | Dodger Stadium | 29 June 1990
Carl Hubbell set a Midsummer Classic record when he struck out five future Hall of Famers in succession during the 1934 All-Star Game; Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin. During his final Midsummer Classic appearance (1986 All-Star Game), El Toro tied that record when he struck out in succession Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken, Jr., Jesse Barfield, Lou Whitaker and Teddy Higuera.
