Don Sutton, the Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed veteran who has won more than 300 games in his career and has a niche in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame, died on Monday, his son Daron announced on social media.
He was 75 years old.
“I am sorry my father passed away in his sleep last night,” Daron Sutton wrote on Twitter. “He worked as hard as anyone I have ever met and treated those he met with great respect… and it took me a long time to work.
Sad to share that my dad passed away in his sleep last night. He worked as hard as anyone I’ve ever known and he treated those he encountered with great respect … and he often took me to work. I am very grateful for all these things. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cvlDRRdVXa
– Daron Sutton (@lifeisgreatsut) January 19, 2021
Sutton spent the first 16 of his 25 seasons with the Dodgers. He was a four-time All-Star, and his 324 wins place him 14th in Major League Baseball history.
He also pitched for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels during his career. Following his playing career, Sutton served as an analyst for the Atlanta Braves for 28 seasons, analyzing games on both television and radio.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of our dear friend, Don Sutton,” the Braves said in a statement. A generation of Braves fans got to know his voice … Don was as feared on the hill as he was loved in the stand. Winner of 300 games and four-time All-Star, Don brought unparalleled knowledge of the game and his sharp humor for his reflections. But despite all his success, Don never lost his generous nature or humble personality. “
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
“Don Sutton’s genius on the field and his enduring dedication to the game he loved so much carried over to his time as a Hall of Famer,” said Jane Forbes Clark, president of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “I know how much he cherished his Cooperstown moments, just as we cherish our special moments with him. We share our deepest condolences with his wife, Mary and his family.”