Fernando Valenzuela Stats

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.

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"Watching Fernando Valenzuela force himself into a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform is something like seeing Kate Smith struggling to fit into a pair of Brooke Shields' designer jeans." - Reza, H.G. Sportswriter. The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations. Skyhorse Publishing. 17 October 2007. Page 142.

Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando 'El Toro' Valenzuela Autograph on a 1981 Fleer Baseball Card (#140)

Fernando 'El Toro' Valenzuela Autograph on a 1981 Fleer Baseball Card (#140)

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Birth Name:   Fernando Valenzuela (Twitter: @FerValenzuela34)
Nickname:   El Toro (The Bull)
Born On:   11-01-1960  (Scorpio)
Place of Birth Data Born In:   Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico
Year of Death Data Died On:   Still Living (1,000 Oldest Living)
Place of Death Data Died In:   Still Living
Cemetery:   n/a
High School:   Navajoa High School (Navojoa, Mexico)
College:   None Attended
Batting Stances Chart Bats:   Left   Throwing Arms Chart Throws:   Left
Player Height Chart Height:   5-11   Player Weight Chart Weight:   195
First Game:   09-15-1980 (Age 19)
Last Game:   07-14-1997
Draft:   Undrafted Free Agent / Signing Bonus = $120,000

Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando Valenzuela Pitching Stats

1980 20 Dodgers 10 0 4 2 0 1.000 0.00 0 0 1 17.2 66 8 0 2 0 5 0 16 0 0 1 -
1981 21 Dodgers 25 25 0 13 7 .650 2.48 11 8 0 192.1 758 140 53 55 11 61 4 180 4 1 0 0
1982 22 Dodgers 37 37 0 19 13 .594 2.87 18 4 0 285.0 1,156 247 91 105 13 83 12 199 4 2 0 0
1983 23 Dodgers 35 35 0 15 10 .600 3.75 9 4 0 257.0 1,094 245 107 122 16 99 10 189 12 3 1 0
1984 24 Dodgers 34 34 0 12 17 .414 3.03 12 2 0 261.0 1,078 218 88 109 14 106 4 240 11 2 1 0
1985 25 Dodgers 35 35 0 17 10 .630 2.45 14 5 0 272.1 1,109 211 74 92 14 101 5 208 10 1 1 0
1986 26 Dodgers 34 34 0 21 11 .656 3.14 20 3 0 269.1 1,102 226 94 104 18 85 5 242 13 1 0 0
1987 27 Dodgers 34 34 0 14 14 .500 3.98 12 1 0 251.0 1,116 254 111 120 25 124 4 190 14 4 1 0
1988 28 Dodgers 23 22 1 5 8 .385 4.24 3 0 1 142.1 626 142 67 71 11 76 4 64 7 0 1 -
1989 29 Dodgers 31 31 0 10 13 .435 3.43 3 0 0 196.2 852 185 75 89 11 98 6 116 6 2 4 0
1990 30 Dodgers 33 33 0 13 13 .500 4.59 5 2 0 204.0 900 223 104 112 19 77 4 115 13 0 1 0
1991 31 Angels 2 2 0 0 2 .000 12.15 0 0 0 6.2 36 14 9 10 3 3 0 5 1 0 0 0
1993 33 Orioles 32 31 0 8 10 .444 4.94 5 2 0 178.2 768 179 98 104 18 79 2 78 8 4 0 -
1994 34 Phillies 8 7 0 1 2 .333 3.00 0 0 0 45.0 182 42 15 16 8 7 1 19 1 0 0 -
1995 35 Padres 29 15 5 8 3 .727 4.98 0 0 0 90.1 395 101 50 53 16 34 2 57 4 0 0 -
1996 36 Padres 33 31 0 13 8 .619 3.62 0 0 0 171.2 741 177 69 78 17 67 2 95 7 0 0 -
1997 37 Padres 13 13 0 2 8 .200 4.75 1 0 0 66.1 313 84 35 42 10 32 0 51 2 4 0 0
1997 37 Cardinals 5 5 0 0 4 .000 5.56 0 0 0 22.2 106 22 14 19 2 14 0 10 2 1 0 0
17 Years 453 424 10 173 153 .531 3.54 113 31 2 2,930.0 12,398 2,718 1,154 1,303 226 1,151 65 2,074 119 25 11 0

Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando Valenzuela Hitting Stats

1980 20 Dodgers 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1981 21 Dodgers 25 64 3 16 0 1 0 0 7 1 0 9 6 0 0 0 .250 .262 .281
1982 22 Dodgers 38 95 6 16 0 0 1 0 9 3 0 16 10 2 0 0 .168 .190 .200
1983 23 Dodgers 36 91 5 17 3 0 1 0 9 1 0 23 12 1 0 2 .187 .194 .253
1984 24 Dodgers 35 79 5 15 3 0 3 0 7 1 0 11 9 0 0 2 .190 .200 .342
1985 25 Dodgers 35 97 7 21 2 0 1 0 7 0 0 9 5 1 0 3 .216 .214 .268
1986 26 Dodgers 39 109 5 24 4 0 0 0 7 0 0 11 6 1 0 1 .220 .218 .257
1987 27 Dodgers 38 92 4 13 1 0 1 0 8 0 0 11 8 0 0 4 .141 .141 .185
1988 28 Dodgers 23 44 2 8 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 5 7 0 0 0 .182 .200 .227
1989 29 Dodgers 34 66 3 12 2 0 0 0 6 0 0 11 7 0 0 0 .182 .182 .212
1990 30 Dodgers 35 69 8 21 5 0 1 0 11 1 0 12 7 1 0 0 .304 .310 .420
1991 31 Angels 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1993 33 Orioles 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1994 34 Phillies 8 12 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 .250 .250 .333
1995 35 Padres 29 32 3 8 1 0 2 0 8 0 0 6 3 0 0 0 .250 .250 .469
1996 36 Padres 36 63 4 9 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 15 3 0 0 0 .143 .143 .175
1997 37 Padres 14 17 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 4 0 0 0 .176 .176 .176
1997 37 Cardinals 5 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 .200 .200 .200
17 Years 474 936 56 187 26 1 10 0 84 8 0 145 93 6 0 12 .200 .205 .262

Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando Valenzuela Fielding Stats

1980 Dodgers P 10 0 53 3 0.3 3 0 3 0 1 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.53
1981 Dodgers P 25 25 577 48 1.9 45 12 33 3 2 n/a n/a n/a .938 2.11
1982 Dodgers LF 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a .000 0.00
1982 Dodgers P 37 37 855 86 2.3 84 20 64 2 4 n/a n/a n/a .977 2.65
1982 Dodgers RF 1 0 0 1 1.0 1 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.00
1983 Dodgers P 35 35 771 76 2.2 74 20 54 2 5 n/a n/a n/a .974 2.59
1984 Dodgers P 34 34 783 71 2.1 69 21 48 2 4 n/a n/a n/a .972 2.38
1985 Dodgers P 35 35 817 63 1.8 63 18 45 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 2.08
1986 Dodgers P 34 34 808 77 2.3 76 29 47 1 2 n/a n/a n/a .987 2.54
1987 Dodgers P 34 34 753 72 2.1 68 15 53 4 2 n/a n/a n/a .944 2.44
1988 Dodgers P 23 22 427 45 2.0 44 6 38 1 2 n/a n/a n/a .978 2.78
1989 Dodgers 1B 1 0 3 2 2.0 2 2 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 18.00
1989 Dodgers P 31 31 590 58 1.9 53 18 35 5 4 n/a n/a n/a .914 2.43
1990 Dodgers P 33 33 612 39 1.2 36 5 31 3 2 n/a n/a n/a .923 1.59
1991 Angels P 2 2 20 1 0.5 1 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.35
1993 Orioles P 32 31 536 52 1.6 48 11 37 4 1 n/a n/a n/a .923 2.42
1994 Phillies P 8 7 135 10 1.3 10 2 8 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 2.00
1995 Padres P 29 15 271 34 1.2 34 7 27 0 2 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 3.39
1996 Padres P 33 31 515 50 1.5 49 11 38 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .980 2.57
1997 Padres P 13 13 199 21 1.6 20 4 16 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .952 2.71
1997 Cardinals P 5 5 68 10 2.0 9 1 8 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .900 3.57
P Totals 453 424 8,790 816 1.8 786 200 586 30 31 n/a n/a n/a .963 2.41
LF Totals 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a .000 0.00
RF Totals 1 0 0 1 1.0 1 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.00
1B Totals 1 0 3 2 2.0 2 2 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 18.00
17 Years 456 424 8,793 819 1.8 789 203 586 30 31 n/a n/a n/a .963 2.42

Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando Valenzuela Miscellaneous Stats

1980 Dodgers 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 1.0 0.0 3.20 8.15 2.55
1981 Dodgers 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 7.1 9.1 2.95 8.42 2.85
1982 Dodgers 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 95.0 5.9 10.6 2.40 6.28 2.62
1983 Dodgers 0 1 .000 1 0 n/a 91.0 4.0 10.1 1.91 6.62 3.47
1984 Dodgers 0 0 .000 1 0 n/a 26.3 7.2 11.3 2.26 8.28 3.66
1985 Dodgers 0 1 .000 0 0 n/a 97.0 10.8 13.9 2.06 6.87 3.34
1986 Dodgers 0 0 .000 5 0 n/a 0.0 9.9 15.6 2.85 8.09 2.84
1987 Dodgers 0 0 .000 4 0 n/a 92.0 8.4 11.5 1.53 6.81 4.45
1988 Dodgers 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 8.8 44.0 0.84 4.05 4.81
1989 Dodgers 0 0 .000 2 0 n/a 0.0 6.0 11.0 1.18 5.31 4.48
1990 Dodgers 0 0 .000 2 0 n/a 69.0 5.8 6.3 1.49 5.07 3.40
1991 Angels 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.67 6.75 4.05
1993 Orioles 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.99 3.93 3.98
1994 Phillies 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 6.0 0.0 2.71 3.80 1.40
1995 Padres 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 16.0 5.3 4.0 1.68 5.68 3.39
1996 Padres 0 0 .000 3 0 n/a 0.0 4.2 31.5 1.42 4.98 3.51
1997 Padres 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0.0 5.7 17.0 1.59 6.92 4.34
1997 Cardinals 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 5.0 0.71 3.97 5.56
17 Years 0 2 .000 19 0 0 93.6 6.5 11.1 1.80 6.37 3.54

Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando Valenzuela Miscellaneous Items of Interest

1980 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $130,000.00 - -
1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $232,500.00 Stats Stats
1982 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $360,000.00 Stats -
1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $1,000,000.00 Stats -
1984 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $1,100,000.00 Stats -
1985 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $1,200,000.00 Stats -
1986 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $1,600,000.00 Stats -
1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $1,850,000.00 - -
1988 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $2,050,000.00 - -
1989 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $1,850,000.00 - -
1990 Los Angeles Dodgers 34 $2,000,000.00 - -
1991 California Angels 36 $300,000.00 - -
1993 Baltimore Orioles 34 $650,000.00 - -
1994 Philadelphia Phillies 33 $275,000.00 - n/a
1995 San Diego Padres 34 $425,000.00 - -
1996 San Diego Padres 34 $1,000,000.00 - -
1997 San Diego Padres 34 $1,650,000.00 - -
1997 St. Louis Cardinals 34 "     "     - -

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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

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

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 No Hitter Bobblehead

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.