It’s rare to find a player whose retirement years shine as brightly as their days on the field. Randy Johnson, one of baseball's most formidable pitchers, exemplifies this unique post-career journey.
During his illustrious career, Johnson, affectionately known as "The Big Unit," amassed a staggering collection of accolades, including five Cy Young Awards, 303 game wins, and leading the league in strikeouts nine times. Precision and power defined Johnson's pitching, making him a feared opponent every time he took the mound. Yet, even as he evaded significant elbow issues—a common plight for many pitchers—it's his life after baseball that adds another layer of depth to his profile.
Randy Johnson retired after the 2009 baseball season, shifting his focus to family and personal endeavors. Reflecting on this transition, Johnson shared, "I retired after the 2009 season and in 2010, married and with my kids, [I was] just trying to give back time that I had been giving baseball." This time spent away from the diamond has allowed Johnson to embrace roles he might have otherwise missed out on, including one particularly rewarding commitment: participating in USO tours.
From 2010 to 2019, Johnson frequented these tours, bringing joy and support to military personnel worldwide. "The one commitment I did have was when I got really involved in the USO tours. The first tour I went on [was in] 2010 and I went all the way to 2019, so for nine years, I went all over the world supporting our men and women," he recounted. It was an opportunity that provided Johnson with a new platform to give back, inspired by a friend's invitation. "That came about because a friend of mine... was in charge of getting the celebrities or high-profile athletes and he asked me if I wanted to do it and I said I'd love to do it when I retire," Johnson explained.
Beyond his commitments to the USO, Johnson has also found meaningful ways to stay connected to baseball. In a promotional campaign with Sizzler, Johnson took on the role of coach for a youth baseball team, mostly composed of players between six and eight years old. This experience, reminiscent of a modern-day "Bad News Bears," allowed Johnson to connect with the sport from an entirely different perspective. "The whole premise was they weren't unfortunately a very good team, basically like 'The Bad News Bears' of the '70s and I'm playing Walter Matthau, if you will," Johnson quipped. Yet, he found joy in watching the young players' effort and excitement. "It was really pretty cool to be out there and watch their effort and their excitement and their exhilaration and their camaraderie among one another," he added.
Even as he transitions to new roles, Johnson remains a source of wisdom for the next generation of pitchers. His insights carry weight in conversations about the evolving nature of pitching and player health in baseball. Johnson's career was marked by endurance, a stark contrast to the frequency of injuries plaguing today's pitchers. "For every 15 Tommy John surgeries that are happening in today's game, there might've been one every year in my era, that I heard of," he noted. Reflecting on the demands placed on pitchers during his time, Johnson remarked, "They would throw 250-260 innings and 135 pitches a game, so I don't know why there are so many injuries in today's game, I really don't."
Johnson recently advised rookie pitcher Paul Skenes, whose season logged 92 innings across 15 starts, with seven games reaching the 100-pitch mark but none exceeding 107 pitches. Johnson's words of guidance were clear and direct, emphasizing resilience and readiness. "If you want to be the pitcher that you're capable of being, you need to step up and show people what you're capable of doing and voice your opinion," Johnson shared. His advice extends to conditioning as well: "You just have to mold your body and your body needs to become accustomed to that kind of workload. That's all it is."
In addition to addressing injury concerns, Johnson also supports initiatives aimed at improving the pace of the game. A proponent of the pitch clock, Johnson believes it serves to keep the game dynamic. "I think the big benefit is what it was meant to do is quicken the games up and I think that's good. I think it's better that pitchers get on the mound and pitch," he asserted.
As Randy Johnson continues to inspire on and off the field, his legacy evolves beyond the numbers and accolades. His journey underscores a commitment to family, a passion for mentorship, and a dedication to giving back—defining traits of a true sportsman.