SEATTLE -- The waterworks were flowing at T-Mobile Park on Sunday afternoon, in an emotional farewell for the longest-tenured broadcaster in franchise history, and, quite possibly, for one of their cornerstone players of this era.
Moments before first pitch, the Mariners took the field earlier than typical -- and in surprise fashion -- as a video tribute finished for Rick Rizzs on the videoboard.
As he shifted his glance from the neighboring TV booth to his right and back to the playing surface, Rizzs was taken aback. What had unfolded in front of him was the entirety of the home dugout emerging behind home plate to collectively tip their caps to the radio broadcast booth high behind home plate.
Included among that group were franchise legends Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner, who explicitly made the trip to Seattle this weekend to be here for Rizzs’ recognition. Also in town were Ichiro Suzuki, Alvin Davis and Jamie Moyer, as well as manager Dan Wilson and director of hitting strategy Edgar Martinez.
Each among that cohort are in the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Rizzs will become the 12th member of that prestigious pack next season.
He’s been full of emotion all weekend, but the pregame surprise took his sentiment to a level nearing sobs.
“I'm still going to be around,” Rizzs said. “Whatever the team wants me to do, I'm going to do it. I still want to be an ambassador for a long time. But this team is in good hands.”Rizzs also issued a lengthy speech to what remained from the ticketed 44,761 shortly after final out to the Mariners’ 7-3 win over the Angels.
“I had my time,” Rizzs said. “It's been wonderful, and I'll enjoy it. Trust me, I'll be here when [the World Series] happens -- and it's going to happen, I think, real soon.”
Also in Sunday’s game, veteran shortstop J.P. Crawford had a similar curtain call that left him in tears that even his bright sunglasses couldn’t hide, upon being pulled as a defensive substitution in the top of the sixth inning.
Seattle’s longest-tenured player and one of the key pieces of this era, Crawford was playing in the final game under the five-year, $51 million contract he signed on Opening Day in 2022.
Throughout this season, he knew that this moment was coming. He’d just hoped that it had played out deep into October.
“I feel like the season was a letdown,” Crawford said. “Obviously, we didn't reach our goal. We didn't meet our standards, and I take full accountability for that. We shouldn't be in this spot right now, and it sucks. It sucks to say, but learn and grow from it.”
Sunday’s sendoff for Crawford had surreal similarities to those for franchise icons that were his teammates while he was still an unproven youngster. That included Félix Hernández, in his final start in 2019, and Kyle Seager, in Game 162 in 2021.
The parallels on Sunday to Seager’s were particularly poetic. Back on that day, Crawford was as emotional as Seager himself, crying into the veteran's shoulder. At the time, Seager told Crawford that the Mariners -- who were emerging earlier than anticipated from their rebuild -- were now Crawford’s team.
And the shortstop took that sentiment deeply to heart.
As he became more comfortable in his own skin in Seattle, Crawford opened up about the mental challenges he faced early in his career and that he’d fallen out of love with baseball. That was during his rise from top prospect to the big leagues with the Phillies, before a trade to the Mariners in the 2018-19 offseason that he called life-changing.
But as was the case for everyone in the organization this year, 2026 was a disappointment for the 31-year-old.
“The expectations, especially after last year, were definitely not this,” Crawford said. “And I'm disappointed in myself for letting this happen. I'm supposed to be a leader, and it wears on me a lot because I'm supposed to lead these guys, and I felt like I really didn't do a good job of that this year. I tried, but I guess I didn't try hard enough.”
During his seven seasons in Seattle, Crawford played in more games at shortstop (972) than any in franchise history. But more so, he put Seager’s urging into practice and brought young players -- specifically, infielders -- under his wing.
That group includes Ryan Bliss (whose wedding Crawford officiated last offseason), Cole Young (who was admittedly shy upon breaking into the big leagues) and Colt Emerson (who will be Crawford’s heir apparent at shortstop, having signed an eight-year contract extension in March).
“The stuff on the field is one thing, but the impact he’s made on his teammates is super special,” Young said. “He’s a special player and a special person. I was emotional when he was walking off that field, just how much he’s meant to me and how good of a mentor he’s been.”