The Seattle Mariners are set to honor one of the most dominant forces in baseball history this Saturday at T-Mobile Park. Before taking on the Kansas City Royals, the team will officially retire Hall of Famer Randy Johnson's No. 51 in a special pregame ceremony—a fitting tribute to a pitcher who redefined intimidation on the mound.

Legendary Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs, who called games alongside the late Dave Niehaus during Johnson's entire Seattle tenure, recently shared his memories of "The Big Unit" on KIRO Newsradio. "One of the most intimidating, dominating, fiercest competitors I've ever seen on the mound," Rizzs said. "And one of the greatest pitchers in the history of Major League Baseball."

Johnson becomes the fifth player to have his number retired by the Mariners, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (No. 24), Edgar Martinez (No. 11), and Ichiro Suzuki, who had his own No. 51 ceremony just last year. (All MLB teams also honor Jackie Robinson's No. 42 league-wide.) To add to the celebration, the club is giving away Randy Johnson '80s jerseys to the first 20,000 fans at Friday night's game.

Johnson's journey from raw talent to baseball royalty is a story of transformation. Acquired from the Montreal Expos in 1989 in the trade that sent Mark Langston east, the 6-foot-10 left-hander arrived in Seattle alongside Brian Holman and Gene Harris. At the time, Holman looked like the more polished pitcher—but Johnson's potential was undeniable, even if his command wasn't. "He couldn't throw a strike," Rizzs recalled of those early days. "But once he figured out how to throw that fastball for a strike, then when he came up with that slider, which we named Mr. Snappy, he became a Hall of Fame pitcher."

Over 10 seasons in Seattle, Johnson posted a 130-74 record with a 3.42 ERA. His career strikeout total of 4,875 ranks second all-time, behind only Nolan Ryan, and his five Cy Young Awards cement his place among the game's elite. One of his most iconic moments came in 1995, when he pitched a complete game in the one-game playoff against the Angels, sending Seattle to the postseason for the first time in franchise history.

"When Randy took the ball, he wanted to go nine innings, and he wanted to strike you out," Rizzs said. "That mullet flying out from behind his cap, that snarl, that stare that he had on hitters." It's that unforgettable presence—and the legacy of No. 51—that Mariners fans will celebrate this weekend.