Orlando Cepeda, a Baseball Hall of Famer and former San Francisco Giants player, has passed away at the age of 86, as confirmed by his family through a statement released by the team. The cause of his death was not disclosed. Cepeda’s passing comes less than two weeks after the death of his former teammate, Willie Mays, who was 93.
Greg Johnson, the Giants chairman, expressed his condolences, praising Cepeda as a true gentleman and legend of the game. Johnson highlighted Cepeda’s role as an ambassador for baseball during and after his playing career, and acknowledged his status as one of the all-time great Giants.
Cepeda, affectionately known as “The Baby Bull,” was born in Puerto Rico and made his major league debut in 1958. He quickly made a name for himself as one of the top players in the sport, earning the National League Rookie of the Year award during the Giants’ inaugural year in San Francisco after their move from New York.
In addition to his time with the Giants, Cepeda also played for the Cardinals, Braves, A’s, Royals, and Red Sox during his 17-year career. He was named National League MVP in 1967 while with the Cardinals and was selected to 11 All-Star teams. His career highlights include leading the National League in home runs (46) and the majors in RBIs (142) in 1961.
Cepeda ended his career with 379 home runs and a .297/.350/.499 slash line. In 1999, five years after his name was removed from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
Larry Baer, Giants president and chief executive officer, expressed his sorrow over Cepeda’s passing. He emphasized that while Cepeda’s baseball achievements were extraordinary, it was his generosity, kindness, and love for the game that truly defined him.