Former Dodgers Pitcher to Consider Fernando Valenzuela For Hall of Fame Induction

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela (34) speaks during a news conference prior to his jersey retirement ceremony at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 11, 2023. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Fernando Valenzuela's next chance for Hall of Fame induction arrives Sunday, when a 16-member committee will meet to induct up to three players from the latest Contemporary Era ballot.

One of the 16 will be a former Dodgers pitcher who was not a contemporary of Valenzuela's: Juan Marichal.

More news: Dodgers Considered Favorite to Sign All-Star Closer With Devin Williams Off the Market

The 88-year-old Hall of Famer played the last of his 16 seasons with the Dodgers in 1975. Most of his career was spent with the rival San Francisco Giants, whose logo adorns the hat on Marichal's Hall of Fame plaque.

Soon, Marichal will join seven other Hall of Fame inductees who will weigh the cases of Valenzuela, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Jeff Kent, Gary Sheffield, and Carlos Delgado.

Any candidate who receives votes on at least 12 of the 16 ballots is selected to the Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.

Valenzuela died in October 2024, four days before Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees.

A native of Navojoa, Mexico, Valenzuela made his mark on the sport as the Dodgers marched to the 1981 World Series. That year, he became the first player in MLB history to be named Rookie of the Year and win a Cy Young Award in the same season.

More news: Former Dodgers First Baseman Dies

As a 20-year-old, he threw complete games in each of his first eight starts in 1981; five were shutouts. He finished the season 13-7 with a league-leading 180 strikeouts in 192.1 innings.

After 11 years (1980-90) electrifying the fan base in Los Angeles, Valenzuela went on to pitch for the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals from 1991-97.

Valenzuela retired with a 173-153 record and a 3.54 ERA (104 ERA+). After his sensational season of "Fernandomania," he went 158-146 with a 3.64 ERA (102 ERA+) — slightly above average by those traditional metrics.

If Valenzuela is inducted into the Hall of Fame, he will have done so on the merits of his role in rallying interest among Los Angeles' Mexican-American community, a legacy that stands to this day.

As a member of the Dodgers' Spanish-language broadcast team for the last two decades of his life, Valenzuela was more popular among fans than many active players.

In addition to the eight Hall of Fame players, Sunday's committee will include Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, former Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, Angels owner Arte Moreno, former Miami Marlins GM Kim Ng, MLB executive Tony Reagins, former Minnesota Twins GM Terry Ryan, historian Steve Hirdt, and Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark of The Athletic.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.