The San Diego Padres have had a long history of hosting some of the most talented players in Major League Baseball. Since 1969, the team has had 13 players inducted into the Hall of Fame, including well-known names like Tony Gwynn and Dave Winfield. However, there are also some unexpected names on that list. Below is a look at the Padres’ all-time pitching staff, made up of greats who spent only short stints with the team.
Greg Maddux (2007-2008)
One of the greatest pitchers of all time, Maddux is more famously known for his time as an Atlanta Brave. Throughout his Hall-of-Fame career, he won four Cy Young awards, 18 Gold Gloves, and accumulated 106.6 WAR. He is one of only 10 pitchers to end his career with 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts.
His time with the Padres was not as impressive. Towards the end of his career, he signed consecutive one-year deals with San Diego. His first year was solid, posting a 4.14 ERA in 2007 but putting up a 2.6 WAR season over 34 games. His second season wasn’t nearly as good, with Maddux making 26 starts before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Gaylord Perry (1978-1979)
Perry is one of the most fascinating pitchers in the history of MLB. He had an incredible career, posting 90 WAR and accumulating 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. But the most impressive thing was that he did it all with an illegal pitch. He threw a spitball, a pitch that was utilized by Perry illegally by spitting on the ball to induce increased spin and break on his pitches.
The righty won two Cy Young awards and actually won the friars’ second Cy Young in franchise history in 1978. He won 21 games with a 2.73 ERA, posting 4.3 WAR. Perry did all of that at 39 years old. Despite his success, Perry was a bit of a journeyman, playing for eight different teams in 23 seasons.
Fernando Valenzuela (1995-1997)
The longtime Dodger received plenty of accolades across his storied career. The winner of the Cy Young, a Gold Glove, two Silver Slugger awards, and National League Rookie of the Year in 1981, Valenzuela accrued a lot of hardware. That pedigree with L.A. was a major reason why San Diego took a chance on him after he returned to the league from Mexico.
Fernandomania hit San Diego hard. He played for the Padres towards the end of his career and didn’t pitch particularly well. His lowest ERA across two-plus seasons was a 3.62 mark in 1996. Though Valenzuela is most known for his start in MLB’s first-ever Mexico City series. He was born in Navaoja, Mexico and was one of the most famous athletes in the country. MLB continues to host games in Monterrey in large part due to his legacy.
Kevin Brown (1998)
Although he didn’t have the most incredible career, Brown still managed to record over 200 wins and 2,000 strikeouts. Most of that was with the Texas Rangers, though the best season of his career was with the friars. In 1998, Brown posted 8.6 WAR and led the Padres to their second World Series appearance in franchise history.
Though San Diego was swept in the World Series, it was not for Brown’s lack of effort. With the Friars facing a sweep, Brown got the ball in Game 4 against the New York Yankees and pitching eight innings while battling the flu. He gave up only two runs, but the Padres lost after failing to score a single run. Brown is more known for his incredible performance in the NLDS earlier in that postseason. In Game 1 against the Houston Astros, Brown pitched eight shutout innings and recorded 16 strikeouts — a franchise record that stands to this day.
Calls to the Bullpen
Rollie Fingers (1977-1980)
Before the creation of the closer in the late 80s, there was the incredible Rollie Fingers. Fingers broke out with the Oakland Athletics, with a career 2.90 ERA. From 1971 to 1984, Fingers only had one season with an ERA over 3.00 (1979). In two of those years (1973 and 1981) he recorded an ERA below 2.00.
His time with the Padres was certainly more memorable than most others on this list. In his first two seasons with the friars, he posted two-plus WAR seasons. His best season wouldn’t come until the year after he left San Diego, with Fingers winning the MVP and Cy Young awards with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1981.
Goose Gossage (1984-1987)
Rich “Goose” Gossage is more well-known as a member of the Yankees, breaking out while pitching in relief for New York. In 1981, he posted a 0.77 ERA across 46 2/3 innings. He finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting for that season behind Rollie Fingers. Gossage was employed as a long reliever, coming up as a starting pitcher but failing to find lasting success.
He was a key piece of the Padres’ World Series run in 1984. In his first year with the club, Gossage pitched to a 2.90 ERA across 102 1/3 innings. He was dominant for the friars, but he struggled in the postseason. In 6 2/3 innings, Gossage allowed six runs and two homers.
Fernando Rodney (2016)
One of the most enduring closers in baseball, Rodney played for 11 teams in his career. Of those, the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays are his most famous tenures. His time with the Padres was incredibly brief, only pitching in 28 games before being traded to the Miami Marlins.
But those 28 games were magic. Rodney was nearly untouchable. He pitched to a 0.31 ERA and 0.872 WHIP across 28 2/3 innings. He was sent to Miami at the Trade Deadline with the Padres well out of contention. In return, the Marlins sent over a 20-year-old pitcher named Chris Paddack.
