Legendary San Diego Padres left-hander Randy Jones will get one more honor from the franchise this season.
Current players, former teammates, and thousands of Padres fans attended a “celebration of life” ceremony at Petco Park on Saturday to honor Jones, who passed away in November. Padres CEO Erik Greupner announced that the team will wear No. 35 jersey patches on their uniforms this season to pay respect to the late Cy Young winner.
“Even though he wasn’t that tall, Randy Jones was a giant on the mound,” Greupner said, “in the San Diego community, in the history of our franchise, and in the hearts and the lives of those of us who had the privilege of working with him.
“Petco Park is a less fun, less joyous, less spontaneous, and less cantankerous place without R.J. around. We will deeply miss him. He had the unique ability to make anyone he was talking to feel special. He was genuine. He was real. He loved to talk baseball, hunting, fishing, and his family.”
Randy Jones spent eight seasons in San Diego
San Diego originally drafted the Escondido, California native (roughly 35 miles outside of San Diego) in the 5th round of the 1972 Draft. Statistically speaking, his career got off to a slow start, but it didn’t take long for the Padres fans to fall in love with the 6’0″ southpaw.
By 1975, Jones was among the National League’s best arms. Just a season removed from losing a league-high 22 games, Jones turned in a 20-12 record with an NL-leading 2.44 ERA (156 ERA+) over 285.0 IP. He was an All-Star (pitching the ninth inning and collecting a save) and finished second in Cy Young voting behind Tom Seaver.
He was even better in 1976: posting a 2.74 ERA (119 ERA+) while leading the league in innings pitched (315.1), wins (22), starts (40), complete games (25), and WHIP (1.027). He’d start the All-Star Game and took home the Cy Young Award.
Jones never repeated that dominance on the mound, spending four more seasons with the Padres before a trade to the New York Mets in December 1980 (for right-hander John Pacella and outfielder José Moreno). He’d sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the 1983 season but was released after spring training.
Jones spent 10 seasons in the majors, with a 100-123 record and 3.42 ERA (101 ERA+) in 1933.0 IP (including 73 complete games).
Randy Jones remained close to the Padres
Long considered the Padres’ first homegrown star — attendance was notably higher on days that he pitched while the Padres team toiled in mediocrity — Jones has received honors from the franchise several times before. The team retired his No. 35 in May 1997. He was also part of the team’s inaugural Padres Hall of Fame class in 1999.
Jones’s post-playing career didn’t take him far from the team. He remained in Southern California and was involved with the franchise, serving as a spring training instructor, broadcaster, and community ambassador for many years.
He passed away in November at the age of 75. No cause of death was revealed.
Padres Announce Jersey Patch to Honor Franchise Legend