Randy Jones dies at 75: All about the San Diego Padres legend; a look at his personal life, career and achievements

Randy Jones, San Diego Padres legend, passed away on Tuesday (November 18, 2025), aged 75. The San Diego Padres announced Jones' death on Wednesday, expressing grief at the demise of the left-handed pitcher who was the "cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades." He was the first pitcher from the organization to win the Cy Young Award.

“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones. Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise. The CY Young Award winner, Padres Hall of Famer, and tremendous community ambassador was a giant in our lives and will be greatly missed,” the San Diego Padres said in a statement on the social media platform X.

Randy Jones: Personal life

Born on January 12, 1950, in Fullerton, California, Randall Leo Jones was famosy known as a classic crafty left-hander who used his sinker and slider to disrupt hitters' timing. His father, Jim, was a plant superintendent for a large agricultural company.

According to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), Randy graduated from Brea-Olinda High School and attended Chapman University in Orange, California. During his senior year of high school, he went 8-2 with a 0.91 ERA and 110 strikeouts. He was named to the Irvine League All-Star team and was the starting pitcher in the Orange County Prep All-Star game, according to SABR.

Jones married his high-school sweetheart, Marie Stassi, on October 10, 1970. They had two children, Staci, born in January 1975, and Jami.

Randy Jones: Glance at his career

Jones was picked by the Padres in the fifth round of the 1972 draft. His career significantly changed in 1973 when he made his major league debut. According to USA Today, he began 19 games as a rookie and led the National League with 22 losses in 1974.

In 1975, the left-hander got the first of his two All-Star berths after bagging victory in 20 games and leading the league with a 2.24 ERA for a Padres team that ended the season 71-91.

Jones finished second to the Mets' Tom Seaver in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He again became an All-Star in 1976, going 22-14 with a 2.74 ERA and leading the majors in wins, innings pitched (315⅓), and complete games (25), USA Today reported. He won the Cy Young Award in a landslide, beating out the Mets’ Jerry Koosman and the Dodgers’ Don Sutton.

Randy Jones dies: A look at his stats and Padres legacy

Following the end of his eight-year stint in San Diego, Jones was traded to the New York Mets for the last two seasons before his career came to an end. He finished with a record of 100-123 and a 3.42 ERA over 1,933 major league innings but never appeared in a postseason game.

Jones’ post-playing career life

After the conclusion of his playing career, he kept his loyalty for the San Diego Padres alive as he returned to San Diego and worked as an ambassador for the club. He often made appearances on the team's pregame and postgame broadcasts, according to USA Today. He also had his own BBQ stand, first at Qualcomm Stadium and then at Petco Park.

To honor his legacy, the Padres retired Jones' uniform No. 35 in 1997 and also inducted him into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999 as part of its inaugural class.