Randy Johnson is one of the most dominant pitchers ever. He brought an aura when he pitched that few have been able to match. When your nickname is “The Big Unit”, there is nothing else you can be but dominant. Few could match his dominance with him being 6′ 10”, having long flowing hair, and a fastball that topped out at 102 MPH.
Over his 22 big league seasons, Johnson pitched to a 3.29 ERA with 4875 strikeouts to only 1497 walks, a 1.171 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 135. These stats led to several honors including ten All-Star selections, five Cy Young Awards, a World Series MVP, and a pitching Triple Crown in 2002. All of this success and hardware was enough to elect him into the Hall of Fame in 2015 with 97.3% of the vote. Of course, most people know him as the guy who threw a pitch that hit a bird.
When you think of Johnson’s career, two teams come to mind. The first is the Seattle Mariners, where he pitched for ten seasons. The second one is the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he had his best seasons and helped them win a World Series. However, most people forget that for his final season, the Big Unit pitched in the City by the Bay. That’s where our story begins.
Randy Johnson Time In San Francisco
At the end of the 2008 season, Johnson was set to become a free agent. After his second stint with the Diamondbacks had ended, there were questions if The Big Unit was going to hang them up. He was 44 years old and it was clear his best days were behind him. However, he was only five wins away from 300 wins, a major milestone for any big leaguer.
So, despite his age and regression, he signed a one-year deal with his hometown team: the San Fransisco Giants. Johnson was born in Walnut Creek, California, which is only 40 miles away from the Bay Area. So for Johnson, he was going to chase these major career milestones while in his own backyard. He would also become a mentor to the young arms in the Giants rotation. Guys like Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Madison Bumgarner.
2009 Season
Johnson made his debut for the Giants on April 8th against the Brewers. It wasn’t the start we were used to seeing from “The Big Unit”. He went five innings, giving up two home runs, and four runs in total. Johnson was credited with the loss. However, he struck out seven Milwaukee hitters, so there were still flashes of the once-dominant pitcher. This is how the first month of the season went for Johnson. He would have a decent start, but would also struggle.
The biggest moment of his Giants’ tenure came on June 4th. Johnson took the mound on a late afternoon in Washington with a chance to make history. He was standing at 299 wins, one away from 300. Johnson didn’t have his dominant stuff. However, it was just enough. Johnson went six innings, giving up one unearned run, striking out two batters, and walking two. The Giants were able to give him enough run support to give Johnson his 300th win. The 24th pitcher to do it in MLB history.
This would be the high mark of Johnson’s career with the Giants. A little over a month later, it was discovered Johnson had a torn rotator cuff. The Giants would place him on the sixty-day injured list, ending his time as a starter. He would return to the mound in September. However, he would become a reliever. He would make five relief appearances, giving up four runs (three of which were earned), struck out six batters, and zero walks in total. At the end of the 2009 season, Johnson announced his retirement from baseball.
Thanks for reading! If you have any players’ suggestions please drop them in the comments. Credit for my feature image goes to Mitchell Layton. You can find more sports content at Belly Up Sports and follow me on Twitter/X.
