Randy Johnson thinks about how he would perform in the MLB today

July 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson looks on during the Diamondbacks Hall of Fame ceremony before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. Mandatory attribution: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Published on The Dan Patrick Show On Thursday, Hall of Famer Randy Johnson was honest when asked if he would excel in today's MLB. Surprisingly, his answer was most likely no.

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With the proliferation of high-speed hitters, Johnson believes hitters today are more accustomed to facing fastballs, making it harder for pitchers like himself, Pedro Martinez or Roger Clemens to dominate the way they once did “I think the only pitcher that would probably still be as special as he was when he played because he was so good that he would be the same type of pitcher in today's game is Greg Maddux, people like that . I don’t think a power pitcher like me, Pedro or Roger would be looked at the same way we were in our day.” Johnson explained: “I think because speed is prevalent in today's game, I think hitters can hit faster pitchers at high speeds. It comes out of your bullpen all the time and I just think they’re more used to it now than they were back in the ’90s.”

A towering left-handed hitter with an impressive fastball, Johnson left a huge mark on baseball during his 22-year career, winning five Cy Young Awards and recording 4,875 strikeouts – second only to Nolan Ryan. Known as “The Big Unit,” he dominated batters on the mound, particularly during his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he won a World Series MVP in 2001.

Considering it's only been 15 years since Johnson took the mound, his comments underscore how much the game has changed in a relatively short period of time.

Do you agree with Johnson's comments?