The baseball world woke up to tough news on Tuesday: Randy Jones, the first true ace in San Diego Padres history and one of the most influential pitchers of the 1970s, passed away at 75.
His death isn’t just the loss of a former Cy Young winner; it’s the loss of a franchise pillar, a community figure, and a player who helped put Padres baseball on the map. Jones wasn’t the kind of superstar built on velocity or intimidation. He built his career on craft, intelligence, and grit. For a young Padres franchise searching for an identity, he became exactly what the city needed.
“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones,” the Padres said in a statement. “Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades, highlighted by becoming the first Padres pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. …
“Crossing paths with RJ and talking baseball or life was a joy for everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him. Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres, and his family. He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history.
“We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife Marie and the entire Jones family during this difficult time. RJ will be greatly missed.”
Major League Peak
Jones’ breakthrough came in the mid-70s, and it was nothing short of historic. In 1975 he posted a 2.24 ERA while pitching 285 innings–remarkable for a young franchise’s staff.
According to SABR, “San Diego owner Ray Kroc increased his pay from $24,500 to $65,000″ for his performance during that ’75 season.
Then in 1976, he won the National League’s Cy Young Award with a 22-14 record, 315 1/3 innings, 40 starts and 25 complete games, leading the league in multiple categories. What made Jones especially compelling was his finger-spin and sinkers. His nickname “Junkman” reflected the fact he didn’t rely purely on heat, but rather on movement and savvy.
“I had never seen anything like it; I don’t know that anybody in San Diego had,” Jones said back in 2016. “Our ballclubs in those days weren’t very good. (They had never had a winning season before 1976.) We had talent, but we didn’t have consistency. But the boys really seemed to step up on the days I pitched, and the fans really got behind me.”
Longtime Padres teammate Merv Rettenmund once remarked, “When he was on. I’ve never seen a better pitcher.”
His success came in a time and place where the Padres were still building their identity, and he gave them one. Fan attendance “more than doubled” when he took the mound. His outings became events.
“Part of it was that he wasn’t a Dave Winfield. He wasn’t 6-foot-6, cut and lean,” former San Diego sportscaster Hal Clement said a while back. “He was an average-sized guy who didn’t throw especially hard. He got by on guile and intelligence. There was an everyman quality about him.”
Injuries, Transition and Post-Playing Impact
Unfortunately, Jones’ career arc included a sharp decline after his peak. A nerve injury during his 1976 campaign ultimately derailed his dominance. He left the Padres after 1980 and pitched two seasons with the New York Mets, never regaining the brilliance of his mid-70s years.
But his influence didn’t vanish after his playing days. Jones stayed deeply rooted in the San Diego sports community, serving as a team ambassador, connecting with fans, and becoming a familiar face around the ballpark. His post-career life blended baseball, business, and outreach in a way that kept him woven into the fabric of the city.
According to SABR, Jones managed a string of car washes he opened during his Padres years, then shifted into food-related ventures–first working in his sister’s catering business, then becoming a food broker, and eventually opening the now-iconic Randy Jones BBQ at Petco Park. He also contributed on the media side, hosting pregame and postgame shows.
In his role with AGS Foods, he regularly visited military food service operations, turning sales trips into opportunities to run baseball clinics for children of military personnel. It was pure Randy Jones–mixing business, community, and the game he loved, all while staying connected to the people who meant the most to him.
He also battled throat cancer, a diagnosis he revealed in 2016, believing it linked to chewing tobacco use in his playing days. Jones announced he was cancer-free the following year.
Legacy Measured in More Than Stats
Statistically, Jones finished with a career record of 100-123 and a 3.42 ERA. But raw numbers alone don’t tell the story. The Padres retired his No. 35 in 1997 and inducted him into their inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1999.
Beyond that, he embodied a humble, “everyman” approach. He wasn’t the flashiest athlete, but he proved you didn’t need to throw 100 mph to dominate on the mound. His impact extended into mentoring younger players and shaping the culture of the franchise.
“I remember vividly the four, five years we spent in the backyard with Randy,” former Athletics pitcher Barry Zito said. “When I did something incorrectly, he’d spit tobacco juice on my shoes, Nike high tops we could barely afford, he’s spitting tobacco juice on them.”
Reactions Around Social Media
News of Jones’ passing sparked an immediate wave of emotion across the baseball community, especially from those in San Diego who knew him personally.
Padres sportscaster Don Orsillo shared a heartfelt message that captured how much Jones meant to him on and off the field:
“Devastated with the news today that my friend Randy Jones has passed. My Peoria spring neighbor at the hotel. Nightly… ‘What’s for dinner and how’s your attitude?’ Taught me so much about the Padres and was an amazing ambassador for not only the organization but for the city of San Diego #RIPRJ.”
Jesse Agler, another key voice of the Padres, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing how much Jones shaped his early days in San Diego:
“So, so sad to hear this. Randy took such incredible care of me when I first got to SD. All those Social Hour shows and so much time off to the side. I learned so much from him. Beyond that, a true early star for this franchise. Sending love to Marie and their family 🤎💛.”
Former Padres outfielder and current analyst Tony Gwynn Jr. added his own emotional farewell:
“Rest in peace, RJ. I’m gonna miss the hell out of you man. It didn’t matter what kind of day I was having, you always seemed to bring a smile to my face. Let’s all keep his lovely wife Marie and the entire Jones family in our prayers 🙏🏿.”
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