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Fernando Valenzuela, the iconic southpaw pitcher who helpedLos AngelesDodgerswin the 1981 World Series, died last month of septic shock. Valenzuela died on Oct. 22 at age 63, although no cause of death was provided at the time.
The player’s death certificate from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, obtained by TMZ Sports and confirmed by The Associated Press, lists septic shock as the immediate cause. Thelife-threatening condition occurs when organs malfunction and typically leads to dangerously low blood pressure.
On the death certificate, the medical examiner listed decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis as underlying causes for the septic shock. It also lists “probable” Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease as a significant condition contributing to Valenzuela’s death, which was announced by the Dodgers when it happened last month, shortly before the team went on to win the World Series.
Valenzuela joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1980 and remained largely under fans’ radars until 1981. That season he won his first eight starts — five by shutout — and posted a 0.50 ERA in 72 innings. He became a key player on the journey to the Dodgers’ first World Series title since 1965, and he solidified his legendary status by becoming the first and only player in MLB history to take the National League Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season.
For the next five years, he was consistently recognized as one of the best pitchers in the league. His last season with the Dodgers was in 1990. While he would go on to sign with the Detroit Tigers in the spring of 1992, he never played for the team. His contract was purchased by Jalisco of the Mexican League that summer. Valenzuela returned to the big leagues to pitch for the Angels, Orioles, Phillies, Padres, and Cardinals.
Although his number had never been worn by another player since his retirement and had been unofficially kept out of circulation, the Dodgers officially retired his No. 34 jersey during a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium in August 2023.
Valenzuela was laid to rest during a public mass at at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angelsin Los Angeles last week, according to the AP. Former Dodgers Orel Hershiser, Ron Cey, Reggie Smith, Jerry Reuss, Manny Mota, Justin Turner, Rick Sutcliffe, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jesse Orosco were among those in attendance.
