Randy Johnson's legendary No. 51 to be retired by Mariners in 2026, honoring franchise's pitching icon
Seattle Mariners retiring Randy Johnson's No. 51 in 2026 (Getty Images)
Randy Johnson, one of the most dominant pitchers in Major League Baseball history, will finally receive one of the highest honors a franchise can bestow. The Seattle Mariners have announced that Johnson's No.
51 jersey will be retired during the 2026 season, marking the 35th anniversary of his iconic no-hitter—the first in Mariners history—thrown on June 2, 1990.
Mariners will finally retire Randy Johnson's iconic No. 51 jersey in 2026
While the exact date of the ceremony is pending the release of the 2026 MLB schedule, the anticipation is already building among fans and baseball historians alike. Randy Johnson's decade-long tenure with the Mariners helped lay the foundation for what would become one of the franchise's most pivotal eras.
Over 10 seasons, he amassed a 130-74 record, a 3.42 ERA, 51 complete games, and an astonishing 2,162 strikeouts.
'I'm happy that my contributions over the 10 years that I was there are being acknowledged now,' Johnson said in a Zoom call. 'It's been a long time, that's for sure.'
Though Johnson would later reach greater statistical heights with the Arizona Diamondbacks—where he earned four consecutive Cy Young Awards and a World Series title in 2001—it was in Seattle where his legend truly began.
The 1995 season, in particular, holds a special place in his heart. That year, Johnson went 18-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 294 strikeouts, a performance that not only earned him his first Cy Young Award but also helped propel the Mariners to their first postseason appearance.
'Looking back at it now and that story being documented by the Mariners, it worked out,' Johnson reflected. 'I'm just thankful that I was a big part of that and everybody else was a big part of it, and everything just kind of jelled for all the players.'
That magical '95 campaign also played a significant role in keeping baseball alive in Seattle. Amid debates over funding for a new stadium, the Mariners' success swayed public sentiment and ultimately led to the construction of what is now T-Mobile Park.
Mariners chairman John Stanton summed it up best: '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.'
Stanton also highlighted that the team went an incredible 27-3 in Johnson's starts that season, compared to 52-63 with anyone else on the mound.
Although Johnson entered the Hall of Fame in 2015 wearing a Diamondbacks cap—a decision he admitted was tough—he didn't shy away from his affection for Seattle. 'Now if I could split the plaque and put a little bit of an M and a little bit of an A,' he said with a chuckle.
When No. 51 is lifted into the rafters, it will join the numbers of Ken Griffey Jr. (24), Edgar Martinez (11), Ichiro Suzuki (also 51), and the universally retired No. 42 of Jackie Robinson. For a city and a franchise shaped by his towering presence, this moment is more than just overdue—it's poetic.
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