After a dozen seasons in the Japanese League, Hisashi Iwakuma made his way to the United States, specifically with the Seattle Mariners, the only team he would play for in Major League Baseball.
When recounting the history of raw strength in the Pacific Northwest, the story often highlights the early brilliance of players like Ken Griffey Jr. or Alex Rodriguez. However, one of the most formidable displays of power in Safeco Field's history came from a veteran who arrived in Seattle in his mid-30s. After winning the 2014 American League home run title during a remarkable 40-homer season with the Baltimore Orioles, Nelson Cruz signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the Mariners. Known as "Boomstick," this powerful right-handed hitter quickly silenced critics who questioned whether Seattle's large outfield gaps would limit his distance. Instead, he delivered a four-year showcase of explosive power, earning All-Star selections in three of those four seasons.
His first season under the Pacific Northwest clouds instantly shattered expectations, as he surpassed his Baltimore tally by launching a magnificent, career-high 44 home runs while batting a blistering .302.
Cruz made hitting moonshots into a regular nightly habit, consistently sending balls into the left-field stands. He reinforced this with an impressive 2016 season, hitting 43 home runs and driving in 105 RBIs, only the second time in his career he surpassed 100 RBIs.
By 2017, management shifted the veteran primarily to the designated hitter position to safeguard his health. This strategic change enabled an even greater level of offensive efficiency. During that summer, Cruz hit 39 home runs and led the American League with a remarkable, career-high 119 RBIs, earning his second Edgar Martínez Award.
He kept his elite frontline baseline through his final year with the organization in 2018, hitting 37 home runs and driving in 97 runs, which earned him his last of three All-Star selections as a Mariners player.
Facing an organizational rebuild, the 38-year-old left the Mariners to sign with the Minnesota Twins, extending his decorated career. Over four seasons with the Mariners, he totaled 670 hits, 163 home runs, and 414 RBIs, with a .284 batting average.362 on-base, and 546 slugging percentage.
When one is unconditionally bestowed with the moniker "Mr. Mariner," it is inherently evident that the local footprint bears significant historical importance. Prior to the franchise's transformation into a prominent regular-season contender in the late 1980s and 1990s, the Seattle Mariners were a perpetually struggling expansion team, searching for a distinctive identity. This identity was found in the spring of 1984 in the form of a poised, left-handed hitting first baseman. Alvin Glenn Davis did not merely inherit a position in the batting order; he emerged as the unequivocal face of the franchise during a period when the club was in desperate need of a hero. He initiated a historic, multi-era residency characterized by exceptional strike-zone discipline, which laid the foundational offensive standards for the young team.
His introductory 1984 rookie showcase was an exemplary display of immediate, high-velocity run production. Davis entered the major-league scene by hitting home runs in his first two games, triggering widespread euphoria across the Pacific Northwest. He established a rigorous daily routine for reaching base, setting a major-league rookie record by safely reaching in each of the first 47 games of his career. He proceeded to earn his sole career All-Star selection, recording 34 doubles, 27 home runs, and 116 runs batted in while maintaining a strong .284 batting average. His advanced efficiency metrics dominated the landscape; he drew 97 walks, resulting in a notable .391 on-base percentage and a 147 OPS+, thereby confidently securing the American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award.
Davis wasn’t just a flash in the pan; he truly made a lasting impact over the following five years. His rookie season laid a solid foundation, and he proved incredibly dependable, maintaining a steady presence on the field. He hit back-to-back 18-homer seasons and maintained a batting average well above .270 during 1985 and 1986. His raw power reached its peak in 1987, when he completely dominated American League pitching. That year, Davis achieved personal bests in many areas, smashing 37 doubles, 29 home runs, and driving in 100 runs. He also collected a personal-high 171 hits and boasted a strong .516 slugging percentage, ensuring his place as a true star.
He backed that up with another 18 long balls in 1988, before staging a magnificent on-base clinic during the 1989 calendar. That summer, he clobbered 21 home runs, drove in 95 runs, and weaponized his elite zone awareness to draw a career-high 101 walks—fueling a brilliant, lifetime-best .424 on-base percentage that ranked second in the entire junior circuit.
To be fair, where Davis lost significant ground under modern analytical filters was his highly limited defensive footprint. He lacked range and quick lateral movement on the infield dirt, never registering a single season with a positive defensive bWAR or pacing American League first basemen in any traditional metric.
As the calendar turned to the 1990s and young star Tino Martinez progressed through the minor leagues, the coaching staff increasingly shifted the aging veteran into a permanent designated-hitter role. His production suffered a steep decline during the 1991 campaign, where he labored through mechanical inconsistency to bat a personal-low .221 with 12 home runs across 145 appearances. He became a free agent afterward and signed with the California Angels.
Davis would collect 1,163 hits with 160 home runs and a slash line of .281/.381/.453 over his Mariners career, and in 1997, he became the first member inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame.
When family history is closely linked to the story of a sport, reaching the top level comes with its own special set of expectations. Bret Robert Boone didn’t just build a career in professional baseball; he made history the moment he stepped onto the field, becoming the game's first-ever third-generation Major League player after his grandfather Ray and his father Bob. Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1990 from USC, the passionate and intense second baseman had a strong, muscular build and a powerful right-handed swing. Although his early days in the Pacific Northwest were brief and like a short learning experience before he moved on, his return nearly a decade later sparked an incredible offensive outburst — one of the most remarkable for a middle infielder in recent times.
His 1992-1993 seasons with the Mariners showed flashes of power, with a then-record 12 home runs by a second baseman in 1993, but he lacked defensive polish and consistency to secure a regular role. The team traded him to Cincinnati, where he became a regular and a 1998 All-Star. After brief stops in Atlanta and San Diego, Boone hit the market before 2001 and made a dramatic free-agent return to Seattle, significantly impacting the junior circuit.
That unforgettable 2001 season truly marked the peak of his career on the field. With his team on the verge of tying the Major League record with 116 wins, Boone delivered an incredible offensive display that was a true joy to watch. He swept through American League pitching, setting personal bests in every category- 206 hits, 37 doubles, and 37 home runs across 158 games. Consistently driving in runs, he led the league with 141 RBIs and posted a impressive .331/.372/578 line. His outstanding performance earned him a spot in the All-Star Game in front of the cheering home crowd at Safeco Field, along with a Silver Slugger Award and a third-place finish in the AL MVP voting.
Boone proved he wasn't just a flash in the pan, sustaining his powerful presence in the middle of the lineup over the next two seasons. His strength was undeniable as he crushed 24 home runs and drove in 107 RBIs in 2002. He continued to shine in 2003, earning his third All-Star selection and his second Silver Slugger award, thanks to his impressive 35 home runs, 111 runs scored, and 117 RBIs — making him only the third second baseman in modern baseball to achieve three straight 100-RBI seasons. On the defensive side, Boone also excelled, earning three straight American League Gold Glove Awards from 2002 to 2004.
Advanced analytical filters heavily dispute those raw golden accolades—noting that his limited lateral range and poor positioning often yielded a negative defensive bWAR—but his high-profile positioning and flawless fielding percentage routinely swayed the voters.
After his power dropped to 24 home runs in the 2004 season, he experienced a severe mechanical breakdown in the first half of 2005. Struggling through a painful .221 batting average with only seven home runs over 74 games, the front office decided to move on in July, trading the veteran to the Minnesota Twins.
Boone would collect 863 hits, 152 doubles, 143 home runs, and 534 runs batted in over his Mariners career.