SEATTLE — Rick Rizzs, who has spent 40 years as the radio voice of the Mariners, announced Tuesday his plans to have the 2026 season be his final as the primary radio broadcaster for the club.
“I’ve been blessed to live my dream as a baseball play-by-play announcer for the past 51-seasons, including 43 amazing seasons calling Major League baseball, 40 with the Seattle Mariners, three with the Detroit Tigers and eight in the minor leagues,” Rizzs said. “I can honestly say I’ve loved every minute, from my 25 years with the great Dave Niehaus and my friend, producer-engineer Kevin Cremin to my current partners, Gary Hill and Aaron Goldsmith.”
“Calling Mariners games has been the highlight of my life and having the chance to connect with managers, coaches, players, clubhouse personnel, my colleagues in the booth, those in the front office, but especially the great fans here in the Pacific Northwest has made it unbelievably special.”
“I can’t thank them enough for the love and support they’ve given me all these years, but the reality is that the time has come for me to step back and spend more time at home with my grandkids.”
“So, with the support of those who have given me the opportunity to broadcast Mariners baseball all these years, I’m ready to let everyone know that the 2026 season will be my final year in the Mariners broadcast booth. I plan to broadcast the home games every day, paired with a reduced schedule of road games. But, believe me, I’ll be on hand to be at every postseason game all the way to the World Series.”
Rizzs, who celebrated his 72nd birthday on Nov. 17, was originally hired by the Mariners to pair with Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus in 1983. Rizzs spent nine years in Seattle (1983-91) prior to a three-year stint as the lead voice of the Detroit Tigers, where he replaced Hall of Fame award winner Ernie Harwell. Rizzs returned to Seattle for the 1995 season and has been with the club since then. He is the longest-tenured broadcaster in club history, with his 40 seasons surpassing Niehaus’ 34-year career in Seattle.
Rick, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, is a 1975 graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He began his broadcasting career with six seasons (1975-80) calling Double-A games for Alexandria, Amarillo, and Memphis. He became the sports director of WBNS radio in Columbus, Ohio in 1981 where he called Ohio State Football and Triple-A baseball for two seasons prior to being hired by Seattle.
Herald news services contribute to this report.
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