Long before his retirement and induction into the Hall of Fame, Randy Johnson was simply another ace trying to figure things out on the mound. His time with the Seattle Mariners laid the foundation for his transformation into “The Big Unit” as we know him today. Johnson had a record of 130-74, posted a 3.42 ERA, and recorded 2,162 strikeouts. But do you know the story behind his road to becoming ‘The Big Unit’?

Well, it didn’t come from Johnson’s mouth. After so many years, it’s his former teammate and current MLB Network analyst, Harold Reynolds, who revealed it. He’s played alongside Johnson as a second baseman for the Mariners from 1983 to 1994. Reynolds, a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, witnessed Johnson’s struggles firsthand. So, who better to tell the story than Reynolds?

On MLB Network, Reynolds shared how that once-wild lefty transformed into one of the league’s elite pitchers. “I’ll never forget it. It was like yesterday,” he said, recalling a much different version of Johnson.

“He couldn’t throw a strike for anything. His biggest thing was that he was afraid he was going to hit somebody. He threw that hard, and he’d hurt somebody. So we’re in Texas, and he goes to lunch with Nolan Ryan,” he added. And then came the turning point.

Nolan Ryan, a legend himself, gave Johnson advice that changed everything: “Next time you get a guy 3-0, throw it at him. They’ll get out of the way. That’s their job.” Reynolds continues, “He goes, don’t worry about it. Next time we faced the Rangers, 17 punches and that was it; the unit was born.” Across 10 seasons, Johnson amassed a 130-74 record.

He ultimately retired in 2009 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. His numbers reflect greatness, and some wisdom from Ryan eventually gave birth to “The Big Unit.” Now that Harold Reynolds’ story has given us a sneak peek at Johnson’s transformation, there’s another side of the Hall of Famer you won’t want to miss.

Randy Johnson’s evolution as fierce competitor

Randy Johnson’s entire journey through MLB was iconic. Across 22 seasons, he played for six different teams. These teams were the Montreal Expos, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and San Francisco Giants. Of all these teams, the Diamondbacks had the most defining impact on his career. The D-backs were the ones to name him among the first inductees into their franchise HOF.

He holds five CY Young Awards, ten All-Star appearances, and four ERA titles. In fact, back in 2002, Johnson dominated the league by winning the pitching Triple Crown. He posted a staggering record of 24 wins, 334 strikeouts, and a 2.32 ERA. Even at the age of 40, he threw two unforgettable no-hitters, including a perfect game in 2004, becoming the oldest pitcher to do so.

There’s no end to his achievements. He earned three wins and Co-MVP honors in the 2001 World Series. However, recently, a different version of Johnson has been talked about. During an episode of Road to Cooperstown with Jon Morosi, Johnson reflected on his journey. He reportedly admitted, “If I wasn’t that person on the mound at the time, then we probably wouldn’t have achieved what we did.” He was one of the fiercest competitors in the game. But most notably, Morosi admitted, “His answers were that in-depth and, in many ways, probably unexpected for fans.”

Morosi revealed that as Johnson ages, he has traded some of his intensity for greater introspection. It is now clear that even the league’s most fiery competitors evolve.