ESPN: Former D-back Randy Johnson a top-25 all-time great
Jul 21, 2016, 7:30 PM | Updated: 7:31 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson pitches to the San Francisco Giants in the fourth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, July 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Where does Hall of Famer and former Arizona Diamondback pitcher Randy Johnson fall in the ongoing debate of the greatest MLB players of all-time?
In ESPN’s #MLBRank, the Big Unit came in at No. 23 all-time. He also ranked second among left-handers, only behind Sandy Koufax. Johnson joins a list full of baseball greats like Jackie Robinson (No. 30) Clayton Kershaw (No. 26) and Frank Robinson (No. 24).
During his stint in Arizona, Johnson piled up awards and accolades. He was a five-time NL All-Star (’99-2002, ’04), a four-time NL Cy Young winner (’99-02) and a World Series MVP (’01). He was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2015.
When the D-backs won the World Series in 2001, Johnson went 21-6 with 372 strikeouts and a 2.49 ERA. His best win total with the team came in 2002, when he went 24-5 with eight complete games and four shutouts.
He still had it when he was older too, throwing a perfect game in 2004 when he was 40 years old and in his 17th season. He added 13 strikeouts in the dominant showing.
Johnson wasn’t the only former D-back to make the list. Curt Schilling came in at No. 91 all-time.
Schilling was a teammate with Johnson during the D-backs’ run to the World Series in 2001 and shared the World Series MVP with the Big Unit.
