Fernando Valenzuela on the 2023 media guide cover

Mar 24, 2023 - 5:42 PM

The Dodgers plan to retire number 34 to honor Fernando Valenzuela later this season, and added to the list of celebrations for the left-hander is donning the cover of the team’s media guide for 2023.

Friday, August 11 is when the Dodgers will officially retire Valenzuela’s number 34 in a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium before a game against the Rockies. That weekend of celebration will also feature a bobblehead giveaway on Saturday, then a replica 1981 championship ring giveaway at the ballpark on Sunday.

“I was hoping they would do it. I don’t know why they waited. They could have done this several years ago,” Jaime Jarrín said at FanFest in February, when Valenzuela’s number retirement was announced. “But they are retiring his number. It’s great, it’s great.”

The Dodgers media guide last year featured Jarrín on the cover, ahead of the 64th and final season of his Hall of Fame career of calling games. Vin Scully was on the media guide cover before his final season behind the mic in 2016, too.