Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson made a significant impact with several teams throughout his MLB career, including the Montreal Expos, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, and San Francisco Giants.
He was a transformative figure in Seattle, helping elevate the Mariners’ profile, and he played a crucial role in the Diamondbacks’ unforgettable 2001 World Series victory.
But could Johnson have achieved similar success with the Toronto Blue Jays? According to former Blue Jays general manager Pat Gillick, it almost happened.
As reported by Jon Morosi of MLB Network, Gillick revealed that Toronto missed out on acquiring Johnson in 1998 when the Mariners were looking to move him. Instead, Seattle ended up sending Johnson to Houston, where he spent a single season before joining the Diamondbacks from 1999 to 2004.
During his legendary career, Johnson, nicknamed “The Big Unit,” established himself as one of the era’s most dominant pitchers. He earned 10 All-Star selections, won five Cy Young Awards, and claimed the MLB Triple Crown in 2002.
He also led the league in strikeouts nine times and ERA four times. Johnson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015 and is honored in both the Mariners and Diamondbacks Hall of Fame.
He finished his career with 4,875 strikeouts and a 3.29 ERA.
The Missed Blue Jays Opportunity
By 1998, the Blue Jays were several years removed from their championship seasons in 1992 and 1993. There’s a belief that acquiring Johnson could have made them contenders again.
Toronto reportedly had two potential deals lined up: one to send Ricky Henderson to the Oakland A’s and another to bring in Johnson from Seattle. While the Henderson trade went through, the Johnson deal collapsed under strange circumstances.
Gillick said the trade talks broke down because he couldn’t reach Mariners GM Woody Woodward—who happened to be out golfing at the time. With no communication, the trade couldn’t be completed.
It leaves fans to wonder: what might have been if Randy Johnson had become a Blue Jay?
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