San Diego Padres great Randy Jones, the sinkerballing left-hander who delivered the franchise its first Cy Young Award and became one of baseball’s most beloved figures, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 75, the team announced Wednesday. No cause of death has been made public.
San Diego Padres’ statement
“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones,” the club said in a statement. “He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history.”
Jones remains one of the most important figures in Padres lore and a true pioneer for the young franchise during its early, often difficult years.
Jones’s unique style and remarkable 1975–1976 seasons turned a struggling expansion team into a contender and made the easygoing Californian an enduring icon in America’s Finest City.
Early career and breakout seasons
Born in Orange County, California, Randy Jones was selected by the Padres in the fifth round of the 1972 draft out of tiny Chapman University. He reached the majors the following year and showed immediate promise, posting a sharp 3.16 ERA across 19 starts as a rookie in 1973.
The 1974 season tested him. Jones led the National League with 22 losses as the Padres dropped 102 games. Yet that rough year set the stage for one of the most remarkable turnarounds in baseball history.
In 1975, going 20-12 with an NL-best 2.24 ERA and a microscopic 1.05 WHIP over 285 innings. He finished runner-up in Cy Young voting to Mets icon Tom Seaver. The next year, 1976, Jones claimed the award outright, delivering a 22-14 record, 2.74 ERA, and league-leading 315 ⅓ innings pitched, while striking out only 93 batters and earning his second consecutive All-Star selection.
His mastery of the sinker induced weak contact and ground balls at an elite rate, redefining what an ace could look like without overpowering velocity.
Legacy with the Padres and beyond
Across eight seasons in San Diego, Jones compiled a 3.30 ERA and became the heart of the franchise. In 1997, the Padres retired his No. 35, cementing his place among the organization’s all-time greats.
After the 1980 season, San Diego traded Jones to the New York Mets, where he spent the final two years of his career. Arm troubles limited his effectiveness, and he posted a 4.69 ERA in 41 appearances (32 starts) for the Mets before retiring after the 1982 season.
Life after baseball
Following his playing days, Randy Jones stayed connected to the game he loved. Notably, he spent five years giving private pitching lessons to a young Barry Zito, starting when the future three-time All-Star and 2002 AL Cy Young winner was just 12 years old.