Randy Johnson’s 51 Retired at T-Mobile Park — Mariners Game Today
Randy Johnson’s number 51 is gone from circulation in Seattle after the Mariners retired it Saturday at T-Mobile Park during mariners game today. The club also announced a statue in his honor will be erected next season, adding another permanent mark for a pitcher who changed the franchise’s path.
T-Mobile Park Honors Johnson
Johnson addressed the Mariners faithful as the pre-game ceremony brought together Mariners Hall of Famers Ichiro Suzuki, Félix Hernández, Edgar Martínez, Dan Wilson, Jay Buhner, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Alvin Davis. Dan Wilson also delivered a speech, giving the night a current connection to the era Johnson helped define.
John Stanton, the Mariners majority owner and CEO, used the ceremony to announce the statue plan. Johnson said, “Seattle has always been a big part of my family and my career, and it always will be.” He also said, “Who can forget about the SuperSonics, Mount Rainier, Rainier beer, and the music scene?”
Johnson’s Seattle Run
Seattle acquired Johnson from the Montreal Expos in 1989, and he spent 10 years with the Mariners. That stretch included the 1995 season, when he went 18-2 with a 2.48 ERA and won the first Cy Young Award by a Mariners pitcher.
His career numbers explain why the honor carries so much weight: five Cy Young Awards, a 303-166 record, a 3.29 ERA, and 4,875 strikeouts. He finished second only to Nolan Ryan’s 5,714 strikeouts and became one of only four pitchers in MLB history with at least 300 wins and 4,000 strikeouts.
Mariners Number Retirements
The ceremony also fit into a broader line of Mariners honors that already includes Ken Griffey, Jr.’s No. 24 retired in 2016 and Edgar Martínez’s No. 11 retired in 2017. Ichiro’s number 51 was retired last summer, and Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson’s number 42 league-wide in 1997.
Johnson’s number 51 now joins that group as the fifth number enshrined in Mariners lore, with the statue announcement pushing the tribute beyond the wall at T-Mobile Park. “I learned a lot here, on and off the field. And I will always be thankful for my time playing here,” Johnson said, closing a day built around his place in club history.
