Mariners Turn Heads with Major Randy Johnson Announcement
Mariners Turn Heads with Major Randy Johnson Announcement originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
There's no doubt that one of the most recognizable figures in Seattle Mariners history is starting pitcher Randy Johnson, who spent time with the team from 1989 to 1998 as part of his 22-year MLB career.
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In that time with Seattle, Johnson earned five All-Star appearances, won the Cy Young Award in 1995 and finished within the top three for the honor in three other seasons.
Of course, those personal accolades are backed up by some amazing numbers, accumulating 274 appearances, 266 starts, 1,838 1/3 innings, 2,162 strikeouts (second-most in franchise history), a 3.42 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.
His performance on the field was certainly remarkable and will be honored forever, with the Mariners announcing they will be retiring Johnson's No. 51 in 2026.
This will actually be the second time the Mariners retire the No. 51 as they plan to do so for Ichiro Suzuki, who spent 14 years with the team and earned 10 All-Star appearances and one AL MVP on Aug. 9, 2025.
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Of course, the announcement has caught the attention of many social media users who are not shying away from expressing their opinions.
"How hasn't this happened yet?" said one comment.
"Randy Johnson's No. 51 getting retired is absolutely legendary and so well-deserved! What an icon!" said another.
"Having two 51 plaques in the outfield is gonna be super cool," a third added.
A fourth stated, "Woah, well deserved. Eventhough it was getting retiring for Ichiro anyway I'm glad we're at least honoring him with it."
"I like this. Both players deserve to have their number retired, even if it's the same one," a fifth continued.
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"Took too long. The GOAT pitcher and wanted to stay with Seattle long term," said another.
Seattle Mariners former starting pitcher Randy Johnson.Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
This also isn't the only honor he has received since retiring after the 2009 season, as Johnson was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2012 and into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Related: Shohei Ohtani Reacts to Dodgers' Max Muncy Announcement
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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