Fernando Valenzuela to be considered by Contemporary Baseball Era Committee for HOF induction

"The 16-person committee meets every three years and considers players whose primary contributions to the game came since 1980. Any candidate who receives 75 percent of the votes on ballots cast by the committee will be elected into the hall of fame and will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 26, 2026 - along with any inductees elected from the Baseball Writers Assn. of America ballot, which will be announced Jan. 20, 2026."

"Valenzuela, who had his number retired by the Dodgers in 2023 before he died at age 63 in October 2024 on the eve of the Dodgers-Yankees World Series, won 173 games over 17 seasons - 11 of those with the Dodgers - and was a six-time All-Star. He remains the only pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards in the same season in MLB history, but his lasting impact has been the seismic shift in the demographics of the fan base after he burst on the scene during a 1981 season that culminated with a World Series championship."

"Despite his impressive run early in his career, Valenzuela did not garner enough support when he was initially eligible for enshrinement to the National Baseball Hall of Fame (75% of the vote from members of the Baseball Writers Assn. of America is needed). In his first year on the ballot in 2003, he netted 6.2% of the vote, surpassing the 5% threshold needed to stay on the ballot for another year. The number dropped to 3.8% in 2004 and he fell off the ballot in subsequent years."

Fernando Valenzuela is one of eight players being considered by the National Baseball Hall of Fame's 16-member Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, which reviews contributors whose primary impact began in 1980 or later. The committee meets every three years; candidates receiving 75 percent of committee votes will be elected and inducted in Cooperstown on July 26, 2026, alongside any BBWAA inductees announced Jan. 20, 2026. Other candidates include Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy and Gary Sheffield. Valenzuela won 173 games over 17 seasons, was a six-time All-Star, won Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young in the same season, and notably transformed the Dodgers' fan demographics during the 1981 “Fernandomania” era. His Dodgers number was retired in 2023; he died in October 2024. Valenzuela previously received limited support on the BBWAA ballot, peaking at 6.2% in 2003 before falling off the ballot.

Read at Los Angeles Times