Dodgers will honor Fernando Valenzuela with a uniform patch during the World Series and 2025 season

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — When the Dodgers take the field for Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, the team will honor the late Fernando Valenzuela with a tribute on their jerseys.

The team announced Thursday that players' uniforms will feature a patch commemorating him – not just during the highly anticipated Fall Classic against the New York Yankees, but throughout the 2025 season.

The circular patch with a black background features the name “Fernando” in white and his jersey number, 34, which the team retired last year.

Valenzuela, who sparked a fan phenomenon known as “Fernandomania” as a rookie and became a Dodgers legend, died Tuesday night at age 63.

A cause of death was not given.

Valenzuela played for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990 and then had stints with the Angels (1991), Orioles (1993), Phillies (1994), Padres (1995-97) and Cardinals (1997). He finished with a record of 173-153, a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts in 2,930 innings over 453 games (424 starts).

He captivated Southern California in 1981 when, as a 20-year-old out of Mexico, he went 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 starts and pitched 11 complete games – eight of them shutouts – to win both Rookie of the Year and “Rookie of the Year” to win the National League Cy Young Award.

The Dodgers won the World Series that season against the New York Yankees – their opponent in this year's World Series – and Valenzuela was 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA in five starts that postseason.

After playing in the majors for 17 seasons, Valenzuela served as the Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers beginning in 2003. He had stepped away from his broadcasting duties before the start of these playoffs to “focus on his health,” the team said.

ESPN contributed to this report.