Seattle Mariners: The Final Countdown – Top 5 Players of All Time
By Nick Lee
Just like the band Europe, we love a good countdown. We have reached the final countdown of the best 50 Seattle Mariners of all-time, as we look at the top five players.
5. Randy Johnson (1989-1998)
“The Big Unit” was drafted by the Montreal Expos and two seasons into his big league career, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Mark Langston. Big win for the Mariners franchise.
Rightfully nicknamed for his 6’10” frame, Johnson was as intimidating as it got on the mound. In his first full season as a Mariner, in 1990, he was an All-Star with 14 wins and 194 strikeouts.
He went on to make five All-Star teams in a Mariners uniform. His best year came in 1995, as he helped the Mariners qualify for their first-ever postseason.
Johnson recorded a 18-2 record with a 2.48 ERA in 214 innings and a Major League-leading 294 strikeouts. He went on to win the American League Cy Young, the first Mariner to ever win it.
He posted seven 200+ strikeout seasons in Seattle and even struck out 308 in 1993. He also won 18 or more games three times.
Johnson finished his Mariners career with 130 wins, a 3.42 ERA, 51 complete games and, up until recently, a franchise record 2,162 strikeouts. He appeared in four games during the 1995 postseason run, going 2-1 and striking out 29 in 25 innings.
During the 1998 season, the Mariners wanted to keep him, but they quickly fell out of contention. In a deadline blockbuster and after 213 strikeouts in 23 starts, Johnson was dealt to the Houston Astros.
Johnson would stamp his Hall of Fame ticket after eight unforgettable seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This included four consecutive Cy Young awards, along with a World Series ring and MVP trophy.