The legendary Mexican pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, passed away on October 22 due to septic shock. This information was revealed in his death certificate obtained by TMZ Sports. Valenzuela, who had been hospitalized in September for liver problems, such as decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, suffered various complications that led to this outcome.
Additionally, doctors mentioned the possibility that Valenzuela also suffered from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a progressive brain disorder. His remains were cremated and are located at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. According to EFE agency, Valenzuela also suffered from multi-organ failure due to liver complications.
Following his death, Major League Baseball paid tribute to Valenzuela during the World Series won by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Septic shock is a serious condition that results in dangerously low blood pressure. The Dodgers were on their way to securing their eighth World Series championship after Valenzuela's passing.
Valenzuela, considered one of the best Mexican baseball players in history, won the Cy Young Award and the Rookie of the Year award in 1981, the season in which he helped the Dodgers win the World Series. At the age of 63, he retired from his Spanish-language television duties for the Dodgers weeks before his death. Liver problems were cited as the main cause of his passing, along with septic shock.
In his career, Valenzuela participated in 11 seasons with the Dodgers, winning two World Series and being named an All-Star six times. Liver diseases can have various causes, such as infections, cancer, alcohol consumption, obesity, among others. Despite the information revealed, the severity of Valenzuela's illness at the time of his hospital admission is unknown.
Fernando Valenzuela made his debut with the Dodgers on April 9, 1981, as the starting pitcher, leaving an indelible mark on the history of baseball and being remembered as a Dodgers legend.
