9 Baseball Players who Played for Yankees and Mariners
There is a good chance that if you’ve found this page then you’re playing the Immaculate Grid.
That also means that today’s grid has asked for players that have played for both the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees.
And, it also means that you’re probably stuck on this particular box and you’re looking for a little help. Sound about right so far?
Well, good news, you’re in the right place.
I’ve done some research and have found players who played for both the Mariners and the Yankees. Here is a mix of all-time greats along with some hidden gems that you may have forgotten about.
James Paxton
James Paxton, known as “The Big Maple” because of his Canadian heritage, has been a strong presence on the pitcher’s mound since his MLB debut in 2013.
The left-handed starting pitcher initially spent six seasons with the Seattle Mariners where he quickly became a key part of the rotation, highlighted by a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018, becoming the first Canadian to throw a no-hitter since 1945 and the second-ever to do so on Canadian soil.
Since Seattle, he’s bounced around with a few teams including the Yankees, then back to Seattle and now the Red Sox.
*Paxton was previously the most popular pick for this square (Grid 113)
Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki, who played from 2001 to 2019, is most celebrated for his time as an outfielder with the Seattle Mariners and Miami Marlins.
One of the most successful Japanese players in MLB history, Ichiro accumulated over 3000 hits in the MLB, along with nearly 1300 hits in Japan’s professional league. He maintained a .311 career batting average in the MLB.
Ichiro was a 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, and 2001 AL MVP (all with Mariners). His rookie year was one of a kind, as he led the league in batting average (.350) and stolen bases (56), earning him both the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards.
Robinson Cano
Robinson Cano began his MLB career with the Yankees in 2005, quickly establishing himself as one of the game’s top second basemen. He was selected for multiple All-Star Games and won a World Series championship in 2009. He also earned Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards in New York.
In 2014, Cano signed with the Seattle Mariners, inking one of the most lucrative contracts in baseball history at the time. With the Mariners, he continued to excel, earning additional All-Star selections and reaching career milestones in hits and home runs.
Despite his on-field successes, Cano’s career faced significant setbacks (and controversy) when he was suspended for 80 games during the 2018 season and 162 games in 2020 for violating MLB’s drug policy.
Cano Key Stats
- All-Star (Yankees, Mariners)
- Gold Glove (Yankees)
- Silver Slugger (Yankees)
- World Series Champ (Yankees)
- 200+ Hit Season (Yankees)
- 100+ RBI Season (Yankees, Mariners)
- .300 Batting Average Season (Yankees, Mariners, Mets)
Tino Martinez
Tino Martinez, a two-time All-Star first baseman, was a vital component of the New York Yankees dynasty in the late 1990s. Known for his power and run-producing ability, Martinez had an impressive career from 1990 to 2005 with the Mariners, Yankees, Cardinals, and Rays.
He amassed 339 home runs and drove in 1271 runs during his career, while maintaining a .271 lifetime batting average. Martinez had a knack for the dramatic, including his grand slam in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series. Martinez was a key component of the 4 World Series titles that the Yankees won in ’96, ’98, ’99 and 2000.
Martinez Key Stats
- All-Star (Mariners, Yankees)
- Silver Slugger (Yankees)
- 40+ Home Run Season (Yankees)
- 100+ RBI Season (Mariners, Yankees)
Jay Buhner
Jay Buhner was a big hitter who played from 1987 to 2001, spending almost his entire career with the Mariners after a two-year start with the Yankees.
Known for his bald head and powerful swing, Buhner was a key player in the Mariners’ lineup, hitting over 300 home runs in his career, including three 40+ seasons in a row from ’95 to ’97. (He also led the National League in strikeouts in ’96 and ’97 with 159 and 175 respectively.)
He was an All-Star once and even won a Gold Glove for his work in the outfield in 1996.
Freddy Garcia
Freddy Garcia, nicknamed “The Chief”, was a prominent Major League Baseball pitcher from Venezuela whose career spanned from 1999 to 2013. Garcia had impressive stints with multiple teams, notably with the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox.
He shined during his time with the Mariners from 1999 to 2004, winning an American League ERA title in 2001. In 2005, Garcia was instrumental in the Chicago White Sox’s World Series championship, throwing seven scoreless innings in Game 4 to help secure the title.
His career concluded with a respectable record of 156 wins and 108 losses, an ERA of 4.15, and 1621 strikeouts.
Garcia Key Stats
- All-Star (Mariners)
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson was one of my favorite baseball players growing up. In fact, somewhere in a closet, I have a baseball card binder with over 150 Rickey Henderson baseball cards.
Most of us probably remember Henderson as an Oakland A, back in the late 80s playing on the same A’s teams as the Bash Brothers.
But, he played for an incredible 25 years in the majors and played on 9 different teams during that span.
Rickey played 14 years with the A’s, but he also played for the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, LA Dodgers, Anaheim Angels, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays.
So, not only is he an acceptable answer for a player who played for both the Mariners and the Yankees, but Rickey Henderson is a very versatile Immaculate Grid answer that you can use quite often.
In fact, he also had over 1400 career stolen bases, over 2200 runs and over 3000 hits (all of which could appear as possible categories).
Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson, also known as the ‘Big Unit’, was a towering force in baseball from 1988 to 2009. He threw mainly for the Mariners and Diamondbacks but also played for the Montreal Expos, Yankees, Giants and Astros.
Johnson won the World Series with the Diamondbacks in 2001, where he was also the World Series MVP. He racked up over 300 wins, more than 4,800 strikeouts, and bagged the Cy Young Award five times. Johnson got into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Richie Sexson
Richie Sexson was a big-hitting first baseman in baseball from 1997 to 2008, playing for the Brewers, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Indians (now Guardians), and Yankees.
Standing at 6’8″, Sexson was an intimidating presence at the plate and cranked over 300 home runs during his career with a single-season best of 45 in both 2001 and 2003 with the Brewers. He was a two-time All-Star and known for hitting some of the longest homers in the game.
