Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson will have his No. 51 retired by the Seattle Mariners during a pregame ceremony on May 2, 2026, the club announced Thursday.
In June, the Mariners said Johnson’s No. 51 would become the fifth number retired by the franchise, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (No. 24), Edgar Martinez (No. 11) and Ichiro Suzuki, who had his No. 51 retired this summer. All MLB teams have retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42.
Johnson went 130-74 with a 3.42 ERA across 10 seasons with the Mariners.
“I’m happy that my contributions over the 10 years that I was there are being acknowledged now,” the 62-year-old Johnson said via Zoom in June. “It’s been a long time, that’s for sure.”
Johnson enjoyed more success with the Arizona Diamondbacks, with whom he won four consecutive Cy Young Awards in addition to a World Series in 2001. However, the lanky left-hander nicknamed the “Big Unit” because of his 6-foot-10 frame fondly remembers his Seattle tenure.
Johnson made his major league debut in 1988 with the Montreal Expos and was traded to Seattle in 1989. After some initial control issues with the Mariners, he found his stride with a breakout season in 1993. He went 19-8 with a 3.24 ERA that year, the first of his six 300+ strikeout seasons.Mariners Set to Honor Randy Johnson by Retiring No. 51 in 2026 Season
