Padres legend Randy Jones, 1976 Cy Young winner and beloved sinkerball icon, dies at 75, leaving his wife of 50 years Marie Stassi Jones and a grateful San Diego forever
Rest in peace, pride of the Padres.
November 20, 2026
This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on November 20, 2026
Randy Jones, the beloved former San Diego Padres ace known for his sinkerball and charm, passed away on November 18, 2026, at 75.
He is survived by his high-school sweetheart and wife of 50 years, Marie Stassi Jones, along with their two daughters, Staci and Jami, and several grandchildren who were the center of his world off the field.
Jones Family (Source: ) Randy and Marie Stassi met as teenagers in Orange County, California, and quickly became inseparable.
They married on October 10, 1975, just months after Randy’s breakout 20-win season with the Padres and built a rock-solid partnership that weathered the ups and downs of a big league career and everything that came after.
Friends and family always described Marie as Randy’s anchor, the quiet strength behind his easygoing public persona.
Even during his 2016 battle with throat cancer (which he beat and declared himself cancer-free in 2017), Marie was constantly at his side, offering the same steady support she had given since their Brea-Olinda High School days.
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From Fullerton to Padres Immortality
Born January 12, 1950, in Fullerton, California, Randy starred at Brea-Olinda High School and later at tiny Chapman University before the Padres took a chance on the crafty lefty in the fifth round of the 1972 draft. He reached the majors the following June and never looked back.
What made Randy special wasn’t velocity; he rarely touched 90 mph, but an unhittable sinking fastball and a competitive fire that carried him to heights no one expected from a Padres team still finding its footing.
In 1975, he went 20-12 with a sparkling 2.24 ERA. The next year, he was even better: 22-14, a league-leading 315⅓ innings, 25 complete games, and the 1976 National League Cy Young Award—the first in Padres history.
For a franchise that had never sniffed contention, Randy Jones put San Diego on the baseball map. His number 35 was retired in 1997, and he was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999.
After eight seasons in San Diego (1973–1980) and a brief stint with the New York Mets (1981–1982), Randy finished his career with exactly 100 wins, a 3.42 ERA, and a legacy far bigger than the numbers.
When the cheering stopped, Randy never really left the game or his adopted city.
He became a Padres broadcaster, opened the popular Randy Jones BBQ stands at Petco Park (those tri-tip sandwiches are still a fan favorite), and poured his heart into the community.
For more than a decade, he hosted the Randy Jones Invitational Golf Tournament, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities through the
(Source: )Curtis Gandy, executive director of the foundation, announced Randy’s passing with a heartfelt note that captured what so many felt:
“Randy’s warmth, generosity, and love for people touched countless lives, both on and off the field… He is survived by his loving wife, Marie, and their two daughters, Staci and Jami, who meant the world to him.”
Via FacebookThe Padres organization called him “a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades” and “a giant in our lives and our franchise history.”
Remembering Randy Jones
In the days since the news broke, stories have poured in from former teammates, barbecue customers, charity recipients, and kids who grew up watching number 35 deal sinkers at San Diego Stadium.
They all say the same thing: Randy Jones never met a stranger, never forgot where he came from, and loved his family, especially his wife Marie, more than any Cy Young trophy.
Suppose you’d like to share a memory with Marie and the family.
In that case, the Randy Jones Foundation has asked that stories be posted on social media, emailed, or sent to the foundation so they can be passed along during this difficult time.
Instead of flowers, the family requests donations to the foundation to continue the work Randy cared about so deeply.
Rest in peace to the pride of the Padres, the king of the sinker, and the man who proved you don’t need a 95-mph fastball to leave a forever mark on a city, just a big heart and the unwavering love of a woman named Marie.
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