Let’s not sugarcoat it: this season was a disaster. The Mariners led the division on July 5th, then went 25-38 with the worst offense in baseball — 577 runs, shut out 15 times — one year after winning the AL West and taking the ALCS to Game 7. The clubhouse is about to empty out, the manager probably isn’t coming back, and half the roster might be wearing different uniforms by spring.

But this weekend isn’t about any of that. This weekend is about Rick Rizzs.

41 Years Behind the Mic

Rizzs called his first Mariners game in 1983, hired to pair with Dave Niehaus. He left for Detroit in the early ’90s, then came home in 1995 — in time for the most magical season this franchise has ever had. He’s been the soundtrack of Mariners baseball ever since: 41 years, the longest-tenured broadcaster in team history.

He announced in July that this would be his last season. Next year, he goes into the Mariners Hall of Fame — only the second non-uniformed member, alongside Niehaus.

Here’s the line that guts me, from a fan blog this week: “Neither Rick Rizzs nor Dave Niehaus will have ever called a World Series game.” Read that again. The two voices that defined Mariners baseball never got to call the one thing we all wanted. If that doesn’t tell you everything about being a Mariners fan, nothing will.

The Farewell Weekend Schedule

The Mariners are doing this right — three days of tributes during the final series of the season against the Angels:

Friday, Sept 25 — Fireworks Night. Rick Rizzs-themed postgame fireworks. Stay after the final out; the show is built around him.

Saturday, Sept 26 — First Pitch. Rizzs throws the ceremonial first pitch before the game. Get to your seats early.

Sunday, Sept 27 — Celebration Day. The big one. Every fan gets a special Rick Rizzs placard, Rizzs is honored throughout the game, and if you buy through the online ticket special, you get the commemorative Mariners x Rick Rizzs “Holy Smokes” t-shirt — his signature home run call, on a shirt, from the final home game of the season.

There’s also a “Holy Smokes” hotline — call 206-346-4299 to leave a message for Rizzs — and more details at Mariners.com/HolySmokes.

The Gear Angle

Let’s be honest about the shirt: the official commemorative tee only comes with Sunday’s online ticket special. That’s the move if you’re going — buy the ticket package, get the shirt, be part of the placard moment.

But if you want to show up repping the era Rizzs called, this is also a good excuse to finally grab the gear you’ve been putting off. The 2026 jerseys carry the 50th-season patch — the same patch the team wore all year — which makes anything you buy now a timestamped piece of this specific, cursed, unforgettable season.

👉 Shop the Mariners Collection — Fanatics

My suggestion: the home white. Rizzs called more wins in that uniform than anyone. And if you’re buying for a kid, get it a size up — they’ll be wearing it when the next window opens. Whenever that is.

Why This Weekend Matters

I’ve watched this fanbase argue about everything this month — fire the manager, sell the team, trade a starter, blow it all up. The one thing nobody is arguing about is Rick Rizzs.

In a season that gave us almost nothing to feel good about, the farewell of the man who narrated all of it — the good years, the bad decades, the 1995 magic, last October’s heartbreak — is the one genuine moment left. The crowds have been thin and quiet in September. They won’t be this weekend.

“Holy Smokes” started as a home run call. This weekend, it’s a goodbye. Be there if you can.

Farewell Weekend runs September 25-27 vs. the Angels at T-Mobile Park. Tickets via the Mariners’ site; the Holy Smokes tee comes with Sunday’s online ticket special.