Ichiro will be Seattle’s newest Mariners Hall of Fame inductee
There’s a new accolade on Ichiro Suzuki’s illustrious resume.
On Tuesday morning, Seattle announced that the 10-time Gold Glove winner will be the team’s newest Mariners Hall of Fame inductee as part of a celebratory weekend and pregame ceremony on Aug. 27.
His playing career ended where it began: in Japan, where Ichiro amassed 1,278 hits in nine seasons for the Pacific League’s Orix Blue Wave. And his Major League career spanned 19 more years, 10 of them in a Mariners uniform.
Ichiro announced his retirement after a two-game series in Tokyo, Japan against the Oakland A’s on March 21, 2019. Seattle requires at least five active seasons in a Mariners uniform and two years of retirement of their inductees, though his resume created more of a waiting game for the franchise’s no-questions-here induction.
“Mariners fans were fortunate to have watched Ichiro Suzuki perform his magic at the plate and in the field for over a decade in a Mariners uniform,” Seattle Mariners Chair and Managing Partner John Stanton said in a press release. “As the first position player to transition from Japan to Major League Baseball, Ichiro opened minds and won hearts of American fans with his brilliant play and dedication to his craft. His selection to the Mariners Hall of Fame was unanimous, and I fully expect Ichiro to take his place in Cooperstown on the first ballot in 2025.”
There’s little doubt regarding Ichiro’s Baseball Hall of Fame status, though he won’t be eligible for the ballot until 2025.
But his standing as one of Seattle’s most accomplished players, and his “positive impact in enhancing the image of the Seattle Mariners and/or Major League Baseball” will make Ichiro the tenth player in the Mariners Hall of Fame, following Alvin Davis, Dave Niehaus, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Dan Wilson, Ken Griffey Jr., Lou Piniella and Jamie Moyer.
Ichiro’s 4,367 professional hits — combined between time in Japan and in MLB — rank first in baseball history. He remains the Seattle franchise leader in hits (2,542), batting average (.322), at-bats (7,907), triples (79), and stolen bases (438).
He ranks only behind Edgar Martinez in games played for the franchise, with 1,861.
The 48-year-old appeared in 10 consecutive All-Star Games, and won the game’s MVP award in 2007, finishing with three hits and the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history. From 2001-2010, Ichiro set a Major League record with 10 consecutive seasons of 200 or more hits.
In 2004, he broke a then-84 year record, logging 262 hits in a single season and surpassing George Sisler’s record of 257.
On August 7, 2016, Ichiro’s triple for the Miami Marlins was the 3,000th hit of his Major League career, making him just the 31st player to reach the milestone.
Now, he serves as an instructor for Seattle’s Major League team and farm system, and focuses on outfield, base running, and, in conjunction with hitting coaches, batting, the press release said.
Ichiro currently holds the title of Special Assistant to the Chairman.
This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 10:52 AM.