Fernando Valenzuela is a baseball legend, but it wasn’t enough to get him into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He might have created a strong connection between Latino fans and the Dodgers, but that is not what it takes to be immortalized in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Valenzuela received fewer than five votes out of the 16 people on the committee who voted. Here’s who Valenzuela was and why he didn’t get enough votes for this round.

Fernando Valenzuela will not be joining the Baseball Hall of Fame this round

Despite his storied career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Valenzuela will not be joining the ranks of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Valenzuela is a household name in Los Angeles, and his baseball career made him a beloved part of the city. Yet, the emotional angle was not compelling enough to get Valenzuela into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The baseball player created a legacy for himself. His start in the major leagues was one for the books, but his statistics throughout his career just weren’t enough. A 16-member committee is responsible for deciding who gets elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. While the story of a player can factor in, the committee is most interested in the statistics.

Despite having complex statistics throughout his career, Dodgers fans have a special place in their heart for Valenzuela. As a pitcher, he sparked Fernandomania with Dodgers fans going wild for his screwball pitches. Valenzuela pitched for the beloved baseball team from 1980-1997. His rookie year in 1981 was incredible, landing him the title of Rookie of the Year.

“I think from everything that has happened to me in my career, I wouldn’t change anything,” Valenzuela told True Blue LA in 2022. “I often get asked ‘Would you have pitched less to have a longer career?’ But if you’re thinking that way as a pitcher, you will only mentally prepare yourself for that one thing.”

He won’t be eligible for years

The next time the committee will vote on Baseball Hall of Fame inductees is in 2028. However, due to not getting the votes this time, Valenzuela is not eligible for the next round. The next time that Valenzuela will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame is 2031.

Regardless of how the committee voted, Valenzuela’s legacy with Latinos in baseball is untouchable. The Mexican baseball player galvanized a fandom that few baseball players will ever be lucky enough to experience. He became more than a famous baseball player. Valenzuela was a moment of representation in America’s favorite pastime.

For a community commonly overlooked, Valenzuela took to the baseball field and showed the baseball world what Latinos are made of. He created a career and legacy that continues to inspire Latino baseball fans across generations.

His cultural impact on baseball and Latinos will reverberate for generations to come. Fernandomania gave the Latino community of Los Angeles, and beyond, a sense of pride and excitement. We were able to look to an American institution and see one of our own blazing a path for Latino players after him.

While we want for 2031, we can all feel better knowing that Valenzuela will always hold a special place in our history.

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