Hanson was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the 1986 MLB draft and made his debut in the MLB in 1988. He quickly established himself as a reliable starting pitcher for the Mariners, earning a reputation for his strong fastball and sharp breaking ball. In his rookie season, he posted a 11-10 record with a 3.45 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 196 innings pitched.
Over the next few years, Hanson continued to improve his game and became one of the top pitchers in the American League. In 1990, he had his best season, finishing with a 18-9 record, a 3.03 ERA, and 211 strikeouts in 233 innings pitched. He was named to the All-Star team that year and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting.
Hanson's success on the field earned him a reputation as one of the best pitchers in the league, and he became a sought-after player in the free-agent market. In 1992, he signed a four-year, $15 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league at the time.
However, Hanson's time with the Red Sox was plagued by injuries, and he struggled to live up to his contract. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 1995, where he had a brief resurgence before being traded again to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1996.
Hanson retired from baseball in 1998, finishing his career with a 89-84 record, a 4.15 ERA, and 1,225 strikeouts in 1,518 innings pitched. Despite his struggles in the latter part of his career, he remains one of the most successful pitchers in Mariners history, ranking in the top ten in several pitching categories, including strikeouts, innings pitched, and wins.
After retiring from baseball, Hanson remained involved in the sport, working as a pitching coach for several minor league teams. He also founded the Erik Hanson Baseball Academy, which provides training and coaching for young baseball players in the Seattle area.
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