Mariners to give Hall of Famer Randy Johnson well deserved honor

Randy Johnson can now add yet another accolade to his extensive resume, as the Seattle Mariners will retire his number next year.

Mention the name Randy Johnson anywhere around Seattle and indeed the Pacific Northwest as a whole, and it’s likely to illicit a number of memories among fans. Now, thanks to the Seattle Mariners, those same fans will get to add another special moment to the collection.

As announced by the Mariners organization on Monday, Johnson will become the fifth player to have his number retired by the team. He joins a prestigious list of Hall of Famers which includes Ken Griffey Jr. (24), Edgar Martinez (11) and Ichiro Suzuki (51), as well as Jackie Robinson (42), who had his number retired by every Major League team.

Johnson of course wore number 51 before Ichiro, but now no one else will get the honor in Seattle. Nor should they, after their respective record-breaking careers with the Mariners and in general during their time in the majors.

A phenomenal resume for Randy Johnson

For Johnson specifically in this respect, his Major League career resulted in a stunning resume which includes five Cy Young Awards, 10 All-Star selections and being the strikeout leader on nine occasions. For the Mariners, he recorded a 130–74 record with two saves, a 3.42 ERA (698 ER, 1838.1 IP) and 51 complete games, while also striking out 2,162 in 274 games (266 starts).

The significance of the Mariners making their announcement on June 2, is that it is 35 years to the day that he posted a no-hitter versus the Detroit Tigers. The number retirement will take place next year during a pregame ceremony, to be confirmed once the 2026 MLB schedule has been released.

Mariners personnel share their thoughts

Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton shared his thoughts on Johnson, as part of the Mariners’ press release on Monday. Stanton said:

“Randy is both one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history, and one of the most important figures in our organization’s history. During the 1995 season that changed the future of this franchise, his 18–2 record (in a 145-game season) was properly recognized with his first Cy Young Award. … Randy’s extraordinary accomplishments will forever be remembered and recognized with the retirement of his number 51.”

Mariners president of business operations Kevin Martinez also took the time to praise Johnson as part of the press release. Martinez said:

“From his arrival in Seattle in 1989 and over the next decade, Randy helped define Mariners baseball in our region and across the country. He was as fierce as any player in baseball, and he provided Mariners fans with some of the greatest moments in Seattle sports history. … I am eagerly looking forward to seeing him in Cooperstown in July, here at the ballpark in August and next year on the field when we raise his #51 to its rightful place in T-Mobile Park.”

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A crucial part of Mariners and MLB history

The aforementioned no-hitter was pivotal in turning around the fortunes of Johnson, as he entered that start with a 13-16 record and 4.54 ERA. He subsequently went on to forge a career which made him one of the best trades in Mariners history, having been acquired from the Montreal Expos in May of 1989.

In total Johnson played 22 Major League seasons and produced a 303-166 record in 618 games which included 603 starts, recording a 103.5 WAR, 3.29 ERA, 135 ERA+, 3.19 FIP and 1.171 WHIP. He’s one of just four pitchers in MLB history with at least 300 wins and 4,000 strikeouts, pitched a perfect game on May 18 in 2004 and reached the pinnacle by winning the World Series in 2001. (He was also named World Series co-MVP, along with Curt Schilling.)

Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rodgers Photography

What do you consider to be Johnson’s most impressive achievement of his career, specifically from his time in Seattle with the Mariners? Let us know in the comments section below.