The wait continues for Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela, who fell short in voting for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by through the Contemporary Era ballot. start the annual Winter Meetings taking place in Orlando, Fla.
Valenzuela received fewer than five votes from the 16-person committee. Candidates needed to receive votes on 75% (12) of the ballots cast by the Contemporary Era committee in order to gain induction into Cooperstown.
The group only voted in Jeff Kent, who was on 14 of the ballots. Gary Sheffield is another former Dodgers player who also was up for consideration.
Because of his total, Valenzuela is not eligible to be considered when the group reconvenes in 2028, but could return to the ballot in 2031.
The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot featured players whose most significant career impact was made since 1980, played at least 10 seasons and have been retired for 15 or more years.
Kent will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 27, 2026, along with any electees who emerge from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote, which will be announced on Jan. 20.
Should Fernando Valenzuela be in the Hall of Fame?
Valenzuela’s case for Hall of Fame induction is a complicated one due to some of his statistics not necessarily comparing to others already in Cooperstown.
However, what can’t be overstated — or overlooked — was Valenzuela’s impact on the Dodgers franchise and sport as a whole. The beloved left-hander signed as a teenager out of Mexico and made his MLB debut in 1980, though only appeared in two games out of the bullpen.
It was then the 1981 season that spawned “Fernandomania.” Jerry Reuss was due to start Opening Day at Dodger Stadium but suffered a calf strain during batting practice, which prompted then-Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda to thrust Lasorda onto the mound.
Valenzuela pitched a complete-game shutout against the Houston Astros in the Dodgers’ 2-0 win. Valenzuela went 8-0 with a 0.50 ERA, 68 strikeouts and eight complete games through his first eight starts.
He finished the season 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA, 11 complete games and eight shoutouts. Valenzuela led all pitchers with 180 strikeouts that year.
Valenzuela was named the 1981 National League Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young Award winner, and he also won a Silver Slugger Award. Mike Piazza, Corey Seager and Valenzuela are the only Dodgers to win Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger in the same season.
Valenzuela was a six-time All-Star and won two World Series during his Dodgers career. Valenzuela remained involved with the Dodgers organization as a Spanish-language commentator until his passing in October 2024. He was honored during the first homestand of the 2019 season as the first giveaway was a Fernando Valenzuela replica jersey.
Valenzuela’s 128 wins during the 1980s rank fourth-most in MLB history. He pitched 2,144.2 innings and logged 102 complete games during that span as well.
The Dodgers retired No. 34 in Valenzuela’s honor during the 2023 season, making an exception to the franchise policy of only doing so for Hall of Famers. Prior to Valenzuela, only Jim Gilliam’s No. 19 had been retired by the Dodgers without a Hall of Fame induction. They did so two days after Gilliam passed away in 1978 at 49 years old.
Among other accolades, the Mexican Baseball League retired No. 34 for Valenzuela in 2019, and he received the Outstanding Americans by Choice recognition from the United States government in 2022. It’s meant to recognize the outstanding achievements of naturalized U.S. citizens.
The city of Los Angeles declared Aug. 11 as Fernando Valenzuela Day to coincide with the Dodgers’ retiring his jersey number. The state of California declared Nov. 1 Fernando Valenzuela Day in recognition of his birthday.
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