Fernando Valenzuela, the iconic southpaw pitcher who helped Los Angeles Dodgers win 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. The life-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.
Legendary Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela’s cause of death revealed
KTLA articles
Austin Turner
November 13, 2024 at 8:09 PM
Fernando Valenzuela, the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, died of septic shock according to TMZ.
Septic shock, which was listed as the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award winner’s death certificate, is described by the Mayo Clinic as a “dramatic drop in blood pressure that can damage the lungs, kidneys, liver and other organs,” when the body responds improperly to an infection.
Also listed on the certificate as underlying causes is decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis.
The medical examiner believes he may have suffered from a rare brain disorder called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which causes rapid mental decline.
Valenzuela died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Oct. 22 at the age of 63. The Mexican-born pitcher inspired “Fernandomania” when his baseball career kicked off with an electric start.
