View source for Ichiro Suzuki

{{Short description|Japanese baseball player (born 1973)}}
{{Redirect2|Ichiro|Ichirō|other people named Ichiro|Ichirō (name)}}
{{About|the baseball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Eastern name order|Suzuki Ichirō}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name         = Ichiro Suzuki
| image        = Ichiro Suzuki (51007034081) (cropped).jpg
| caption      = Suzuki with the Seattle Mariners in 2011
| position     = [[Right fielder]]
| bats         = Left 
| throws       = Right
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1973|10|22}}
| birth_place  = [[Nishikasugai District|Nishikasugai-gun]], Aichi, Japan
| debutleague  = NPB
| debutdate    = July 11
| debutyear    = 1992
| debutteam    = Orix BlueWave
| debut2league = MLB
| debut2date   = April 2
| debut2year   = 2001
| debut2team   = Seattle Mariners
| finalleague  = NPB
| finaldate    = October 13
| finalyear    = 2000
| finalteam    = Orix BlueWave
| final2league = MLB
| final2date   = March 21
| final2year   = 2019
| final2team   = Seattle Mariners
| statleague   = NPB
| stat1label   = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
| stat1value   = .353
| stat2label   = [[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
| stat2value   = 1,278
| stat3label   = [[Home run]]s
| stat3value   = 118
| stat4label   = [[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
| stat4value   = 529
| stat5label   = [[Stolen base]]s
| stat5value   = 199
| stat2year    =
| stat2league  = MLB
| stat21label  = Batting average
| stat21value  = .311
| stat22label  = Hits
| stat22value  = 3,089
| stat23label  = Home runs
| stat23value  = 117
| stat24label  = Runs batted in
| stat24value  = 780
| stat25label  = Stolen bases
| stat25value  = 509
| teams        =
* [[Orix Buffaloes|Orix BlueWave]] ({{npby|1992}}–{{npby|2000}})
* [[Seattle Mariners]] ({{mlby|2001}}–{{mlby|2012}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|2012}}–{{mlby|2014}})
* [[Miami Marlins]] ({{mlby|2015}}–{{mlby|2017}})
* [[Seattle Mariners]] ({{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2019}})
| awards       =
'''NPB'''
* 7× [[Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] (1994–2000)
* [[Japan Series]] champion ([[1996 Japan Series|1996]])
* 3× [[Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Pacific League MVP]] (1994–1996)
* 7× [[Mitsui Golden Glove Award|Golden Glove Award]] (1994–2000)
* 7× [[Best Nine Award]] (1994–2000)
* 2× [[Matsutaro Shoriki Award]] (1994, 1995)
* 7× Pacific League batting champion (1994–2000)
* Pacific League RBI leader (1995)
* Pacific League stolen base leader (1995)
* [[Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame]]
'''MLB'''
* 10× [[MLB All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[2001 MLB All-Star Game|2001]]–[[2010 MLB All-Star Game|2010]])
* [[AL MVP]] (2001)
* [[AL Rookie of the Year]] (2001)
* 10× [[Rawlings Gold Glove Award|Gold Glove Award]] (2001–2010)
* 3× [[Silver Slugger Award]] (2001, 2007, 2009)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball batting champions|AL batting champion]] (2001, 2004)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders|AL stolen base leader]] (2001)
* MLB record [[List of Major League Baseball hit records#240 hits in one season|262 hits, single season]]
* [[Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award]]
* [[Seattle Mariners#Retired numbers|Seattle Mariners No. 51]] retired
* [[Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame]]
| hoflink       = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
| hoftype       = National
| hofdate       = [[2025 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2025]]
| hofvote       = 99.7% (first ballot)
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport|Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{bb|JPN}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[World Baseball Classic]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2006 World Baseball Classic|2006 San Diego]] | Team }}
{{MedalGold | [[2009 World Baseball Classic|2009 Los Angeles]] | Team }}
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Ichiro Suzuki''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|iː|tʃ|ɪ|r|oʊ|}}<!---This is the English pronunciation; feel free to add the Japanese pronunciation SEPARATELY.--->|鈴木 一朗|Suzuki Ichirō|born October 22, 1973}}, also known [[mononym]]ously as {{Nihongo|'''Ichiro'''|イチロー|Ichirō}}, is a Japanese former professional [[baseball]] [[outfielder]] who played for 28 seasons. He played the first nine years of his career with the [[Orix Buffaloes|Orix BlueWave]] of [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB), and the next 12 years with the [[Seattle Mariners]] of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). Suzuki then played two and a half seasons with the [[New York Yankees]] and three with the [[Miami Marlins]] before returning to the Mariners for his final two seasons. He won two [[World Baseball Classic]] titles as part of the [[Japan national baseball team|Japanese national team]]. One of the greatest [[contact hitter]]s, [[leadoff hitter]]s and defensive outfielders in baseball history, he is also considered as one of the greatest baseball players of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zarpentine |first=Bryan |date=September 7, 2022|title=10 best contact hitters in MLB history |url=https://franchisesports.co.uk/best-contact-hitters-of-all-time/ |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=Franchise Sports |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In his combined playing time in the NPB and MLB, Suzuki received 17 consecutive selections as an All-Star and Gold Glove winner, won nine league batting titles, and was named his league's most valuable player (MVP) four times. In the NPB, he won seven consecutive batting titles and three consecutive [[Pacific League]] [[Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP Awards]]. In 2001, Suzuki became the first Japanese-born [[position player]] to be [[Posting system|posted]] and signed to an MLB club.<ref>{{cite web|title=48 players born in Japan|website=Baseball-Reference|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/Japan_born.shtml|access-date=August 23, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411154752/http://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/Japan_born.shtml|archive-date=April 11, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> He led the [[American League]] (AL) in [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] and [[stolen bases]] en route to being named AL [[MLB Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] and AL [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]].

Suzuki was the first MLB player to enter the [[Meikyukai|Meikyukai (The Golden Players Club)]]. He was a ten-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|MLB All-Star]] and won the [[2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2007]] [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|All-Star Game MVP Award]] for a three-hit performance that included the event's first-ever [[inside-the-park home run]]. Suzuki won a [[Rawlings Gold Glove Award]] in each of his first 10 years in the majors and had an American League–record seven [[hitting streak]]s of 20 or more games, with a high of 27. He was also noted for the longevity of his career, continuing to produce at a high level with slugging and on-base percentages above .300 in 2016, while approaching 43 years of age. Suzuki also set a number of batting records, including MLB's [[List of Major League Baseball hit records|single-season record for hits]] with 262. He achieved 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons, the longest streak by any player in history. In 2016, Suzuki notched the [[3,000-hit club|3,000th hit]] of his MLB career, becoming only the 30th player ever to do so. In total, he finished with 4,367 hits in his professional career across Japan and the United States, the most of any player in history at the top level of baseball.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2016/6/japanese-baseball-star-ichiro-suzuki-sets-base-hit-world-record-433462/ |title = Japanese baseball star Ichiro Suzuki sets base hit world record| date=June 24, 2016 }}</ref> Since retiring as a player in 2019, he became the Mariners' special assistant to the chairman. 

In {{bhofy|2025}}, Suzuki was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in his first year of eligibility. He became the first Japanese player to be elected into the Hall of Fame, receiving 99.7% of the vote, tied with [[Derek Jeter]] for the second-highest total ever.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ichiro Suzuki Elected to U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame; First Japanese So Honored, Winning 99.7％ of Votes |url=https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/baseball/20250122-234490/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=January 22, 2025}}</ref> That same year, Suzuki was also elected to the [[Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://baseball-museum.or.jp/hall-of-famers/list/search/ | title=殿堂入りリスト 野球殿堂博物館 }}</ref> On August 9, 2025, the Seattle Mariners retired Suzuki's number 51.

{{TOC limit}}

==Early life==
Suzuki was born in [[Nishikasugai-gun]], Aichi,<ref name=bf/> and grew up in [[Toyoyama]], a small town just outside [[Nagoya]].<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/28/sports/baseball/parents-of-ichiro-suzuki-showcase-his-baseball-start-and-career-in-museum.html|title=Museum Showcases Ichiro's Baseball Career|newspaper=New York Times|date=August 28, 2012 |access-date=September 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902045804/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/28/sports/baseball/parents-of-ichiro-suzuki-showcase-his-baseball-start-and-career-in-museum.html|archive-date=September 2, 2012|url-status=live |last1=Normile |first1=Dennis }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.aia.pref.aichi.jp/voice/no8/person-no8.html |title=A Seeker on the Diamond |publisher=[[Aichi Prefecture]] |access-date=September 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000421/http://www2.aia.pref.aichi.jp/voice/no8/person-no8.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.town.toyoyama.lg.jp/3tyousei/03tyoutyou/index.html|title=豊山町長 鈴木幸育 あいさつ(Greetings from Mayor Yukiyasu Suzuki)|publisher=[[Toyoyama, Aichi|Town of Toyoyama]]|language=ja|access-date=September 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114210753/http://www.town.toyoyama.lg.jp/3tyousei/03tyoutyou/index.html|archive-date=November 14, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> At the age of seven, Suzuki joined his first baseball team and asked his father, Nobuyuki Suzuki (鈴木宣之), to teach him to be a better player. The two began a daily routine, which included throwing 50 pitches, fielding 50 infield balls and 50 outfield balls, and hitting 500 pitches, 250 from a pitching machine and 250 from his father.{{sfn|Whiting|2009}}

As a little leaguer in Toyoyama,<ref name="seattletimes1">{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2017819559_ichiro23.html|title=Ichiro museum opens window to Japan's baseball icon|newspaper=Seattle Times|access-date=September 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812100631/http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2017819559_ichiro23.html|archive-date=August 12, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki had the word {{Nihongo|"concentration"|集中|shūchū}} written on his glove. By age 12, he had dedicated himself to pursuing a career in professional baseball, and their training sessions were no longer for leisure, and less enjoyable. The elder Suzuki claimed, "Baseball was fun for both of us," but Ichiro later said, "It might have been fun for him, but for me it was a lot like ''[[Star of the Giants]],''" a popular Japanese [[manga]] and [[anime]] series about a young baseball prospect's difficult road to success, with rigorous training demanded by the father. According to Ichiro, "It bordered on [[hazing]] and I suffered a lot."{{sfn|Whiting|2009|p=6}}

When Suzuki joined his high-school baseball team, his father told the coach, "No matter how good Ichiro is, don't ever praise him. We have to make him spiritually strong."{{sfn|Whiting|2009}} When he was ready to enter high school, Suzuki was selected by a school with a prestigious baseball program, [[Nagoya]]'s ''Aikodai Meiden'' ([[:ja:愛工大名電]]) High School. Suzuki was primarily used as a [[pitcher]] instead of as an outfielder, owing to his exceptionally strong arm. His cumulative high-school batting average was .505, with 19 home runs. He had known [[Hideki Matsui]] (then at Seiryo High School, [[Ishikawa Prefecture|Ishikawa]] - [[:ja:星稜高校]], one grade below him) through practice matches since that time.

He built strength and stamina by hurling car tires and hitting [[Wiffle ball]]s with a heavy shovel, among other regimens. These exercises helped develop his wrists and hips, adding power and endurance to his thin frame. Despite his outstanding numbers in high school, Suzuki was not drafted until the fourth round of the NPB draft in November 1991, because many teams were discouraged by his small size of {{convert|5|ft|9+1/2|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|124|lb}}.{{sfn|Whiting|2009|pp=2–12}} Years later, Suzuki told an interviewer, "I'm not a big guy, and hopefully kids could look at me and see that I'm not muscular and not physically imposing, that I'm just a regular guy. So if somebody with a regular body can get into the record books, kids can look at that. That would make me happy."<ref name="baseball-almanac.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/ichiro_suzuki_quotes.shtml |title=Ichiro Suzuki Quotes |publisher=Baseball-almanac.com |access-date=March 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202003421/http://baseball-almanac.com/quotes/ichiro_suzuki_quotes.shtml |archive-date=February 2, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Professional career==
===Orix BlueWave (1992–2000)===
Suzuki made his NPB [[Pacific League]] debut in 1992 for the [[Orix Buffaloes|Orix BlueWave]] at the age of 18, but he spent most of his first two seasons in the [[farm system]] (accumulating 156 minor league hits and a .368 batting average)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=1467 |title=Ichiro Suzuki - Player Card |website=thebaseballcube.com |access-date=July 21, 2021 }}</ref> because his then-[[Manager (baseball)|manager]], [[Shōzō Doi]], refused to accept Suzuki's unorthodox swing. The swing was nicknamed {{Nihongo|'pendulum'|振り子打法|Furiko Dahō}} because of the [[pendulum]]-like motion of his leg, which shifts his weight forward as he swings the bat, and goes against conventional hitting theory. In his second career game, he recorded his first ''ichi-gun'' (Japan's [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] League) hit in the Pacific League against [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks|Fukuoka Daiei Hawks]] pitcher Keiji Kimura.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Curry|first1=Jack|title=How Ichiro's 3,000th Hit Was Covered in Japan|url=https://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/how-ichiros-3000th-hit-was-covered-in-japan/?_r=0|access-date=January 17, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 30, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402035841/https://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/how-ichiros-3000th-hit-was-covered-in-japan/?_r=0|archive-date=April 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite hitting a home run in 1993 against [[Hideo Nomo]], who later won the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year|Rookie of the Year Award]], Suzuki was nevertheless sent back to the farm system on that very day. In 1994, he benefited from the arrival of a new manager, [[Akira Ohgi|Akira Ōgi]], who played him every day in the second spot of the lineup. He was eventually moved to the leadoff spot, where his immediate productivity dissolved any misgivings about his unconventional swing. He set a Japanese single-season record with 210 hits, the first player ever to top 200 hits in a single season. Five other players have since done so: [[Matt Murton]], [[Nori Aoki|Norichika Aoki]] (twice), [[Alex Ramírez]], [[Tsuyoshi Nishioka]], and [[Shogo Akiyama]].

Suzuki's .385 batting average in 1994 was a Pacific League record and won the young outfielder the first of a record seven consecutive batting titles. Suzuki also hit 13 [[home run]]s and had 29 [[stolen base]]s, helping him to earn his first of three straight Pacific League MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ichiro Suzuki Japanese Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=suzuki001ich |access-date=April 28, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> It was during the 1994 season that he began to use his given name, "Ichiro," instead of his [[family name]], "Suzuki," on the back of his uniform. Suzuki is the second-most-common family name in Japan, and his manager introduced the idea as a publicity move to help create a new image for what had been a relatively weak team, as well as a way to distinguish their rising star. Initially, Suzuki disliked the practice and was embarrassed by it; however, "Ichiro" was a household name by the end of the season, and he was flooded with endorsement offers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=イチロー、鈴木一朗からの改名でアノ元同僚が"意外な役割"果たしていた！？|url=https://www.asagei.com/175553|access-date=May 31, 2021|website=アサ芸プラス|language=ja}}</ref>

In 1995, Suzuki led the Blue Wave to its first Pacific League pennant in 12 years. In addition to his second batting title, he led the league with 80 RBI and 49 stolen bases, while his career-high 25 home runs were third in the league. By this time, the Japanese press had begun calling him the {{Nihongo|"Hit Manufacturing Machine"|安打製造機|Anda Seizōki}}. The following year, with Suzuki winning his third-straight MVP award, the team defeated the Central League champion, [[Yomiuri Giants]], in the Japan Series. Following the 1996 season, playing in an exhibition series against a visiting team of Major League All-Stars kindled Suzuki's desire to travel to the United States to play in the [[MLB|Major Leagues]].

In November 1998, Suzuki participated in a seven-game exhibition series between Japanese and American all-stars. Suzuki batted .380 and collected seven stolen bases in the series, winning praise from several of his MLB counterparts, including [[Sammy Sosa]] and [[Jamie Moyer]], who would become his teammate with the Mariners.

In 2000, Suzuki was still a year away from being eligible for free agency, but the Blue Wave was no longer among Japan's best teams. Because the team would probably not be able to afford to keep him and would lose him without compensation in another year, Orix allowed him to negotiate with Major League clubs. Suzuki used the [[posting system]], and the Seattle Mariners won the right to negotiate with him with a bid of approximately $13&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/2002/01/22/news/column_sportsbiz/ | title=The latest Japanese import | publisher=CNN | last=Isidore | first=Chris | date=January 22, 2002 | access-date=August 23, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070304131934/http://money.cnn.com/2002/01/22/news/column_sportsbiz/ | archive-date=March 4, 2007 | url-status=live }}</ref> In November, Suzuki signed a three-year, $14&nbsp;million contract with the Seattle Mariners. In his nine NPB seasons in Japan, Suzuki had 1,278 hits, a .353 career batting average, and won seven [[Mitsui Golden Glove Award|Golden Glove Award]]s. Suzuki's time in the Japanese baseball leagues matured him as a player and a person, and he often credits it for his success.

===Seattle Mariners (2001–2012)===
====2001: Rookie of the Year and AL MVP====
[[File:Ichiro at defence.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Suzuki in July 2001]]
Due to an agreement between Japanese baseball and the [[MLB]], Suzuki was not allowed to play in the United States before 2001.<ref name=waldstein_10032015/> His move to the United States was viewed with some interest because he was among the first Japanese position players to play for an MLB team. In the same way that many Japanese teams had considered the 18-year-old Suzuki too small to draft in 1992, many Americans believed he would prove too frail to succeed against Major League pitching or endure the longer 162-game season. Suzuki made an auspicious debut with Seattle, and in the Mariners' eighth game revealed his tremendous throwing arm by gunning down [[Oakland Athletics|Oakland's]] [[Terrence Long]], who had tried to advance from first to third on a teammate's single to right field. That play would be dubbed "The Throw" by Japanese media covering Suzuki's progress.<ref>{{cite news|title=The legend of Ichiro and 'The Throw' |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?sp20010418mk.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070519010856/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?sp20010418mk.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2007 |first=Marty |last=Kuehnert |work=The Japan Times Online |date=April 18, 2001 |access-date=July 11, 2007 }}</ref>

After expressing no preference as to a uniform number, Suzuki was issued #51 by the Mariners, which was his number when he played in Japan. He was initially hesitant because it had previously been worn by pitching star [[Randy Johnson]]. To avoid insulting Johnson, Suzuki sent a personal message to the pitcher promising not to "bring shame" to the uniform.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.simplethingcalledlife.com/stcl/ichiro-suzuki-randy-johnson-meaning-respect/ |title=Ichiro Suzuki and Randy Johnson: The Meaning of Respect |website=Simple Thing Called Life |access-date=March 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330211221/http://www.simplethingcalledlife.com/stcl/ichiro-suzuki-randy-johnson-meaning-respect/ |archive-date=March 30, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His trepidation was unfounded, as he had a spectacular 2001 season, accumulating a rookie-record 242 hits, breaking [[Lloyd Waner|Lloyd Waner’s]] rookie record of 223 hits dating back to 1927, and the most hits by any MLB player since 1930. His perennial Gold Glove fielding led Safeco's right field to be dubbed "[[Area 51]]". With a .350 batting average and 56 stolen bases, Suzuki was the first player to lead his league in both categories since [[Jackie Robinson]] in 1949. The season included hitting streaks of 25 and 23 games, an appearance on the cover of ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', and intense media attention on both sides of the Pacific.<ref>{{Cite web |title=May 28, 2001 Cover|url=http://i.cnn.net/si/si_online/covers/images/2001/0528_large.jpg  |publisher=Sports Illustrated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014004509/http://i.cnn.net/si/si_online/covers/images/2001/0528_large.jpg|archive-date=October 14, 2012}}</ref> Fans from Japan were taking $2,000 baseball tours, sometimes flying in and out of the U.S. just to watch Suzuki's games. More than 150 Japanese reporters and photographers were given media access. [[Safeco Field]]'s sushi stands began selling "Ichirolls", a [[spicy tuna roll]] served with [[wasabi]] and ginger.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/01play/2001-10-18-alcs-notebook.htm|title=ALCS notebook: Sincere in Seattle|last=Borelli|first=Stephen|date=January 18, 2002|work=USA Today|access-date=September 23, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211202430/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/01play/2001-10-18-alcs-notebook.htm|archive-date=February 11, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

Aided by Major League Baseball's decision to allow All-Star voting in Japan, Suzuki was the first rookie to lead all players in voting for the [[2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]]. That winter, he won the [[American League]] [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] and the [[MLB Rookie of the Year award|Rookie of the Year]] awards, becoming only the second player in MLB history (after [[Fred Lynn]]) to receive both honors in the same season. Suzuki is also the only player in MLB history to win an MVP, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glove Award, and [[Silver Slugger Award]] and start in the All-Star Game in the same season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lucas |first=Ed |date=July 7, 2016 |title=All-Star snub Ichiro Suzuki still an all-time great - Lucas |url=http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2016/07/all-star_snub_ichiro_suzuki_still_an_all-time_grea.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906230334/http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2016/07/all-star_snub_ichiro_suzuki_still_an_all-time_grea.html |archive-date=September 6, 2017 |access-date=April 20, 2017 |website=NJ.com |agency=Jersey Journal}}</ref>

2001 had been an exceptionally successful regular season for the Mariners, as they matched the [[1906 Chicago Cubs season|1906 Chicago Cubs]]' Major League record of 116 wins.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_gam3.shtml|title=Games Won Records by Baseball Almanac|work=baseball-almanac.com|access-date=October 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151008055423/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_gam3.shtml|archive-date=October 8, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> In his only postseason appearance with the Mariners, Suzuki continued his hot hitting, batting .600 in the [[2001 American League Division Series|ALDS]] against the [[Cleveland Indians]]. However, on Suzuki's 28th birthday, Seattle's stellar season ended against the [[New York Yankees]] in the [[2001 American League Championship Series|ALCS]], as Suzuki was held to a .222 average during the series. Yankees manager [[Joe Torre]] had emphasized to his pitchers, "Do not let Ichiro beat you. He is the key to Seattle's offense." Informed of this assessment, Suzuki said, "If that is true, it would give me great joy. I don't believe he is right."<ref name="baseball-almanac.com"/>

====2002====
[[File:Ichiro.jpg|thumb|upright|Suzuki in right field in 2002]]
Suzuki finished his second year in American baseball with 208 total hits, making him the first Mariners player ever with two consecutive seasons of at least 200 hits. He was the fifth player in MLB history to start a career with two 200-hit seasons. He got off to a hot start, but a late-season slump drove his batting average down to .321, 29 points below his batting average as a rookie. Suzuki finished the season second in the AL in hits, fourth in batting average, and fourth in steals. Suzuki led [[2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] balloting for the second straight year. Although the Mariners had a [[2002 Seattle Mariners season|93–69]] record, that was good for only a third-place finish in the competitive [[AL West]].

====2003====
In 2003, Suzuki became just the third player in history to begin his career with three 200-hit seasons,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=#51=3000 ICHIRO SUZUKI - Road to 3,000 -：The Asahi Shimbun Digital |url=https://www.asahi.com/special/ichiro/3000/en/#:~:text=Became%20the%20third%20player%20to%20begin%20MLB%20career,to%20reach%20his%202000th%20hit%20in%20NPB%20history.?msockid=2f95ed8e8df76845367df8e28c3169ff |access-date=January 14, 2025 |website=The Asahi Shimbun Digital |language=en}}</ref> by garnering 212. He again finished in the top 10 in the AL in hits, batting average, steals, and runs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 American League Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/2003-batting-leaders.shtml |access-date=January 14, 2025 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Again, a late-season slump brought his average down by 42 points from mid-July to .312.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ichiro Suzuki 2003 Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=suzukic01&t=b&year=2003 |access-date=January 14, 2025 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Suzuki was elected to his third All-Star game, and he was again the vote leader in both leagues.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 All-Star Game |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr2003as.shtml |access-date=January 14, 2025 |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> However, the second-place Mariners again fell short of the playoffs. Following the season, Suzuki signed a 4-year, $44 million contract that kept him with the Mariners through 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=BASEBALL; Suzuki and Kennedy Get Multiyear Contracts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/19/sports/baseball-suzuki-and-kennedy-get-multiyear-contracts.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 19, 2003 |access-date=May 14, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ichiro agrees to four-year deal with Mariners |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story?id=1689397&src=desktop |website=[[ESPN.com]] | date=December 19, 2003 |access-date=December 22, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

====2004: Single season hit record====
[[File:Ichiro display.JPG|thumb|upright|left|The display of Ichiro Suzuki, located on the third floor of the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]], which shows the ''Ichi-meter'', record for hits in a season for Ichiro Suzuki in 2004.]] Suzuki had his best offensive season in 2004, highlighted by his breaking of [[George Sisler]]'s 84-year-old record for most hits (257) in a season. An increase in games played benefited Suzuki, as he accumulated only 251 hits through the first 154 games of the season. Suzuki recorded 50 hits in four different months of the year (September and October are combined by MLB for this computational purpose), becoming the first player ever to have four in a season. With 51 hits in August 2001, Suzuki joined [[Pete Rose]] as the only players with four 50-hit months in a career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peebles |first=Laura |title=October 1, 2004: Ichiro Suzuki breaks George Sisler's single-season record with 258th hit – Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/october-1-2004-ichiro-suzuki-breaks-george-sislers-single-season-record-with-258th-hit/ |access-date=April 28, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>

On May 21, Suzuki recorded his 2,000th professional hit. His 200th hit of 2004 came in just his 126th game. By the end of September, with one three-game series remaining, Suzuki's hit total stood at 256—one shy of Sisler. Suzuki singled off the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Rangers]]' [[Ryan Drese]] on October 1 to tie Sisler's record. In the third inning, on a 3–2 count, Suzuki singled up the middle for his 258th hit of the year, which Suzuki later called "the greatest moment of my baseball career."<ref>[http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/LjZhr0epOcI/ Ichiro's 258th hit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709113007/http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/LjZhr0epOcI |date=July 9, 2009 }}, tudou.com</ref><ref name="Ichiro honored at Safeco">{{cite web| title=ichiro honored at Safeco| url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050422&content_id=1025543&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea| publisher=Seattle Mariners| date=April 22, 2005| access-date=May 30, 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207205359/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050422&content_id=1025543&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea| archive-date=December 7, 2008}}</ref> He was greeted by a swarm of teammates, and a standing ovation from the fans. Sisler's daughter Frances Sisler Drochelman attended the game and was greeted by Suzuki after his hit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/sports/2002052125_ichiroheads02.html|title=The Seattle Times: Sports: HITS-TORY! Ichiro breaks Sisler's record|access-date=August 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806230636/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/sports/2002052125_ichiroheads02.html|archive-date=August 6, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Suzuki finished the 2004 season with a record of 262 hits, giving him the single-season records for both the United States<ref name =seattletimes2>{{cite web|url=http://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/sports/ichiro-top-9-moments/|title=Ichiro's most memorable moments with the Mariners|access-date=February 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207031926/http://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/sports/ichiro-top-9-moments/|archive-date=February 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Japanese baseball.

In July 2009, while in St. Louis for his ninth All-Star appearance, Suzuki made a trip to Sisler's grave. He later told reporters, "There's not many chances to come to St. Louis. In 2004, it was the first time I crossed paths with him, and his family generously came all the way to Seattle. Above all, it was a chance. I wanted to do that for a grand upperclassman of the baseball world. I think it's only natural for someone to want to do that, to express my feelings in that way. I'm not sure if he's happy about it."<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4329684 Ichiro visits Sisler's grave], ESPN.com, July 15, 2009</ref>

From 2001 to 2004, Suzuki had more hits (924) than anyone in history over any four-year period, breaking the record of 918 that [[Bill Terry]] accumulated from 1929 to 1932; Terry, however, played in 34 fewer games than Suzuki during their respective four-year spans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/baseball/mlb/10/01/bc.bba.suzuki.hitsrecor.ap/index.html |title=Ichiro breaks single-season hits record |author=Unknown |agency=Associated Press |date=October 1, 2004 |access-date=November 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511164925/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/baseball/mlb/10/01/bc.bba.suzuki.hitsrecor.ap/index.html |archive-date=May 11, 2008 }}</ref> He would later surpass his own mark by recording 930 hits from 2004 to 2007. During one 56-game stretch in 2004, Suzuki batted over .450. By comparison, [[Joe DiMaggio]] batted .408 during his [[Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak|record 56-game hitting streak]]. Suzuki batted over .400 against left-handed pitching in 2004.

====2005====
During the off-season, then-manager [[Bob Melvin]]'s contract was not extended and the Mariners brought in [[Mike Hargrove]] as the new manager with a contract through 2007. It was Hargrove who had predicted that Suzuki would be no better than "a fourth outfielder on [an American] major league team" back when Suzuki was still in Japan.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/20/sports/20iht-base.t_9.html | title=Taken by Sosa, Japanese Star Dreams of Playing in U.S. | work=International Herald Tribune | last=Noonan | first=Tim | date=November 20, 1998 | access-date=August 23, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307232747/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/20/sports/20iht-base.t_9.html | archive-date=March 7, 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> Speculation started that Hargrove and Suzuki did not get along very well in the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/10091 |title=Did Hargrove, Ichiro not get along? |publisher=FanNation |access-date=March 31, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705000744/http://fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/10091 |archive-date=July 5, 2007 }}</ref>

In 2005, Suzuki had his second worst year in his MLB career to date, collecting only 206 hits, the lowest total of his career to that point. However, he reached the plateau of a .300 batting average, 100+ runs, 30+ steals, and 200+ hits for the fifth straight season. That allowed Suzuki to become the first player to collect 200 hits per season in each of his first five years in the major leagues. Only [[Willie Keeler]], [[Wade Boggs]], [[Chuck Klein]], [[Al Simmons]], and [[Charlie Gehringer]] had five consecutive 200-hit seasons at any point in their careers. During the season, he accumulated 1,000 career hits, reaching the career milestone faster than any player in MLB history.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2417408|title=Pujols ties Helton for second fastest to 1,000 hits|date=April 21, 2006|agency=AP|work=ESPN.com|access-date=July 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810054941/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2417408|archive-date=August 10, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki hit a career-high 15 home runs. In the off-season, Suzuki played himself in ''[[Furuhata Ninzaburō]]'', a Japanese ''[[Columbo (TV series)|Columbo]]''-like TV drama that he loves. In the drama, he kills a person and is arrested.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2020 |title=古畑任三郎、異色の犯人イチロー 三谷幸喜が驚いた質問：朝日新聞 |trans-title=Renzaburo Furuhata, a question that surprised Koki Mitani of the unusual criminal Ichiro |url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASN595RSNN58UPQJ00C.html |access-date=March 17, 2025 |website=朝日新聞 |language=ja}}</ref>

====2006====
[[File:Ichiro on base.JPG|alt=|thumb|Suzuki in 2006]]
Suzuki's 2006 season got off to a disappointing start, with the outfielder hitting as low as .177 in the season's third week. He quickly rebounded, finishing the season with a .322 average (sixth in the AL and 11th in the majors). Suzuki's 224 hits led the majors, and he recorded 110 runs and 45 stolen bases. Suzuki was caught stealing only twice in 2006 for a 96% success rate. His 1,354 career U.S. hits topped [[Wade Boggs]]'s record for the most hits in any six-year period.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.seattlepi.com/baseball/278894_mari26.html | title=Tough night at the yard | work=Seattle PI| last=Hickey | first=John | date=July 26, 2006 | access-date = August 23, 2009}}</ref> In his sixth year in the majors, Suzuki collected his sixth Gold Glove Award, and a sixth All-Star Game selection. He also won a [[Fielding Bible Award]] as the best fielding MLB right fielder.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 2006 Fielding Bible Awards |url=http://www.billjamesonline.net/fieldingbible/the-2006-winners.asp |publisher=The Fielding Bible |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110080140/http://www.billjamesonline.net/fieldingbible/the-2006-winners.asp |archive-date=November 10, 2010 |access-date=November 18, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Suzuki began wearing high stocking baseball pants in the [[2006 World Baseball Classic]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lefton|first1=Brad|title=Ichiro prepares for WBC — and better season with M's|url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/sports/2002818633_ichiro21.html|access-date=April 12, 2016|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=February 21, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425222526/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/sports/2002818633_ichiro21.html|archive-date=April 25, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====2007====
[[File:Suzuki Ichiro runs to homeplate.jpg|thumb|left|Suzuki rounding the bases on September 22, 2007]]
In May and June, Suzuki hit in 25 consecutive games, breaking the previous Mariners record set by [[Joey Cora]] in 1997.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Street|first1=Jim|title=Anatomy of a Mariners record|url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/5099196/|access-date=April 12, 2016|date=June 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423040539/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/5099196/|archive-date=April 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Romero|first1=José Miguel|title=Ichiro a hit — Mariners miss|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/ichiro-a-hit-mariners-miss/|access-date=April 12, 2016|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=June 2, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426041658/http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/ichiro-a-hit-mariners-miss/|archive-date=April 26, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki broke [[Tim Raines]]' American League record by stealing 41 consecutive bases without being caught.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Geoff|title=Samurai of hitting" sets AL stolen-base record|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/ms-notebook-samurai-of-hitting-sets-al-stolen-base-record/|access-date=April 12, 2016|date=May 4, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426005349/http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/ms-notebook-samurai-of-hitting-sets-al-stolen-base-record/|archive-date=April 26, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki extended the record to 45; the major league record of 50 belongs to [[Vince Coleman (baseball)|Vince Coleman]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Jim|title=Caught stealing? That's rare with these players|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=baker/080801|access-date=April 12, 2016|work=ESPN.com|date=August 4, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420114136/http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=baker%2F080801|archive-date=April 20, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 10, 2007, he became the first player to hit an inside-the-park home run in any [[MLB All-Star Game]] after an unpredictable hop off the right field wall of [[AT&T Park]] in San Francisco. It was the first inside-the-park home run of Suzuki's professional career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stark |first=Jayson |author-link=Jayson Stark |date=July 11, 2007 |title=Ichiro takes roundtrip to All-Star history |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/allstar07/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2932445 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813112716/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar07/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2932445 |archive-date=August 13, 2007 |access-date=July 11, 2007 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Suzuki was a perfect 3-for-3 in the game and was named the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award|Most Valuable Player]] in the American League's 5–4 victory.

2007 marked the end of Suzuki's second contract with the Mariners, and he initially told MLB.com that he would likely enter the free agent market, citing the team's lack of success in recent years. However, Suzuki signed a five-year contract extension with Seattle in July.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.mariners.mlb.com/news/article/2084095|title=Ichiro signs five-year deal with Mariners|access-date=July 13, 2007|date=July 13, 2007|author=Brown, Patrick|website=MLB.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119064540/http://m.mariners.mlb.com/news/article/2084095|archive-date=November 19, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The deal was reported to be worth $90&nbsp;million, consisting of a $17&nbsp;million annual salary and $5&nbsp;million signing bonus.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2935612|title=Mariners sign Ichiro through 2012 season|access-date=July 15, 2007|date=July 13, 2007|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827110818/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2935612|archive-date=August 27, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> The Associated Press reported that Suzuki's contract extension defers $25&nbsp;million of the $90&nbsp;million at 5.5% interest until after his retirement, with payments through 2032. Other provisions in Suzuki's contract included a yearly housing allowance of more than $30,000, and four first-class round-trip tickets to Japan each year for his family. He was provided with either a new Jeep or Mercedes SUV, as well as a personal trainer and interpreter.

On July 29, 2007, Suzuki collected his 1,500th U.S. hit, the third fastest to reach the MLB milestone behind Al Simmons and George Sisler.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ichiro third fastest in MLB history to 1,500 hits|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2953988|access-date=April 12, 2016|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|date=July 29, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420082711/http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2953988|archive-date=April 20, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

====2008====
Suzuki had 213 hits in 2008, his eighth straight 200-hit season. This tied the 107-year-old record set by [[Wee Willie Keeler]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2008 |title=Ichiro ties record with 8th straight 200-hit season |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3594615 |access-date=March 31, 2025 |website=ESPN}}</ref> Typically, Suzuki was among baseball's leaders in reaching base on an error (14 times in 2008, more than any other batter in the AL), and in infield hits (his 56 were the most in the majors).<ref name="baseball-reference.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-baserunning-batting.shtml |title=2008 Major League Baseball Baserunning/Misc |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=March 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101331/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-baserunning-batting.shtml |archive-date=April 2, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Suzuki amassed an estimated 694 infield hits in his U.S. career.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-suzuki-amazing-stats#:~:text=Ichiro%20tallied%20an%20estimated%20694%20infield%20hits%20in%20his%20career. | title=51 interesting stats about Ichiro | work=mlb.com | date=August 22, 2022 | accessdate=January 22, 2025}}</ref> Detroit third baseman [[Brandon Inge]] told ''[[The New York Times]]'', "I wish you could put a camera at third base to see how he hits the ball and see the way it deceives you. You can call some guys' infield hits cheap, but not his. He has amazing technique."<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/sports/baseball/23ichiro.html?_r=2 | work=The New York Times | title=Mariners' Suzuki on a First-Name Basis With Records | first=Brad | last=Lefton | date=August 23, 2009 | access-date=May 5, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108200406/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/sports/baseball/23ichiro.html?_r=2 | archive-date=January 8, 2017 | url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2008, Suzuki stole two bases, giving him a career total of 292, surpassing the previous Seattle Mariners team record of 290 set by second baseman [[Julio Cruz (baseball)|Julio Cruz]]. Cruz, who worked on Spanish-language broadcasts of Mariners games at the time, was watching from the broadcast booth as Suzuki broke his record.<ref>{{cite news|last1=O'Neil|first1=Danny|title=Mariners send Jeff Clement to Class AAA Tacoma|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/notebook-mariners-send-jeff-clement-to-class-aaa-tacoma/|access-date=April 12, 2008|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=May 19, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426041545/http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/notebook-mariners-send-jeff-clement-to-class-aaa-tacoma/|archive-date=April 26, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Alex, Julio hit one out of the park|url=http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=107521787031965112836|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420193239/http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=107521787031965112836|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 20, 2016|access-date=April 12, 2008|work=Edmonds Beacon|date=July 16, 2009}}</ref>

On July 29, 2008, Suzuki became the second-youngest player to amass 3,000 top-level professional hits (1,278 in Japan and 1,722 in the U.S.) after [[Ty Cobb]]. He also became just the second Japanese professional to get 3,000 hits. ([[Nippon Professional Baseball]]'s record holder is [[Isao Harimoto]], with 3,085 hits).<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCRhfusgFkI |title=7/29/08: Ichiro's 3000th Professional Hit {{!}} イチローハイライト |date=September 17, 2010 |last=MLB Vault |access-date=March 31, 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Matuszewski |first=Erik |date=July 30, 2008 |title=Ichiro Suzuki Collects 3,000th Hit of Career in Japan, U.S. |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2008-07-30/ichiro-suzuki-collects-3-000th-hit-of-career-in-japan-u-s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250331081034/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2008-07-30/ichiro-suzuki-collects-3-000th-hit-of-career-in-japan-u-s |archive-date=March 31, 2025 |access-date=March 31, 2025 |work=Bloomberg.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2016 |title=Ichiro Suzuki records 3,000th MLB hit |url=https://www.knbr.com/2016/08/07/ichiro-suzuki-records-3000th-mlb-hit/ |access-date=March 31, 2025 |website=KNBR |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

By 2008, it had emerged in the media that Suzuki was known within baseball for his tradition of exhorting the American League team with a profanity-laced pregame speech in the clubhouse prior to the MLB All-Star Game. Asked if the speech had had any effect on the AL's decade-long winning streak, Suzuki deadpanned, "I've got to say over 90 percent." Minnesota first baseman [[Justin Morneau]] describes the effect: "If you've never seen it, it's definitely something pretty funny. It's hard to explain, the effect it has on everyone. It's such a tense environment. Everyone's a little nervous for the game, and then he comes out. He doesn't say a whole lot the whole time he's in there, and all of a sudden, the manager gets done with his speech, and he pops off." Boston's slugger [[David Ortiz]] says simply, "It's why we win."<ref>{{cite news |author=Passan |first=jeff |author-link=Jeff Passan |date=July 15, 2008 |title=Ichiro's speech to All-Stars revealed |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-ichirospeech071508&prov=yhoo&type=lgns |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718180751/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-ichirospeech071508&prov=yhoo&type=lgns |archive-date=July 18, 2009 |access-date=January 14, 2017 |work=Yahoo! Sports |publisher=Yahoo.com}}</ref>

====2009====
[[File:Ichiro Suzuki June 10, 2009.jpg|alt=|thumb|Suzuki in 2009]]
Suzuki began his 2009 season by going on the disabled list for the first time in his career. He had a bleeding ulcer, which team doctor Mitch Storey said may have been caused in part by the stress of playing in the World Baseball Classic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/sports/2008979491_ichiro04.html|title=Ichiro had bleeding ulcer, will start season on disabled list|work=[[Seattle Times]]|date=April 4, 2009}}</ref> After missing 8 games, Suzuki debuted on April 15 and went 2-for-5 against the Angels, including a [[Grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]] for his 3,085th overall professional career hit. The home run matched [[Isao Harimoto]]'s Japanese record for career hits, and Harimoto had been flown out to Seattle to witness the event.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2009-04-16-mariners-angels_N.htm|title=Griffey, Ichiro go yard, make history as Mariners roll over Angels|work=[[USA Today]]|date=April 17, 2009|access-date=July 23, 2012}}</ref> Suzuki surpassed the record the following night.

[[File:Ichiro Suzuki and Barack Obama.jpg|thumb|Suzuki meeting President [[Barack Obama]] before the [[2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2009 All-Star Game]] on July 14, 2009]]
Suzuki was named #30 on the ''[[Sporting News]]''' 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball, voted upon by a 100-person panel of experts and former stars. In May and June, Suzuki surpassed his own franchise record with a 27-game hitting streak.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Doug|title=Ichiro's streak ends at 27 games|url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/5159432/|access-date=April 12, 2016|website=MLB.com|date=June 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423023754/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/5159432/|archive-date=April 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Suzuki went on to record 44 hits in June 2009, his 20th career month with 40 or more hits. The previous players to have accomplished this were [[Stan Musial]] in the NL and [[Lou Gehrig]] in the AL.

On September 6 against the [[Oakland Athletics|Oakland A's]], Suzuki collected his 2,000th MLB hit on the second pitch of the game, a double along the first base foul line. He is the second-fastest player to reach the milestone, behind [[Al Simmons]]. On September 13 against the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]], Suzuki collected his 200th hit of the season for the ninth consecutive year, setting an all-time major league record. Suzuki recorded 210 hits with Orix in 1994, thereby giving him a total of ten 200 hit seasons in his professional career.

With two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning on September 18, Suzuki hit a walk-off, two-run home run against Yankees closer [[Mariano Rivera]], scoring [[Michael Saunders]] in one of the more memorable victories of the season. His homer made a winner out of [[Félix Hernández]], who was in line for the loss despite having allowed only one run in 9 innings pitched.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA200909180.shtml|title=September 18, 2009 New York Yankees at Seattle Mariners Box Score|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402035644/https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA200909180.shtml|archive-date=April 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On September 26, 2009, Suzuki was ejected from a game for the first time in his professional career. Arguing that a strikeout pitch from Toronto's [[David Purcey]] had been outside, Suzuki used his bat to draw a line on the outer edge of the plate, and was immediately tossed by umpire [[Brian Runge]]. He was the only Mariner to be ejected from a game all season.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/09/say-it-aint-so-ichiro-tossed-from-a-game.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=The Fabulous Forum | date=September 26, 2009 | access-date=May 5, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001193206/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/09/say-it-aint-so-ichiro-tossed-from-a-game.html | archive-date=October 1, 2009 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbeCmolnYf0|title=YouTube|work=youtube.com|access-date=October 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102095626/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbeCmolnYf0|archive-date=January 2, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The ejection may have hurt Suzuki's chances regarding an esoteric record: the longest playing streak without going hitless in consecutive games. Suzuki's stretch was at 180 games, the longest in the majors since [[Doc Cramer]] went 191 consecutive games without back-to-back 0-fers in 1934–35. Suzuki went hitless in the following afternoon's game.

Suzuki again led the majors in hits in 2009, with 225.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/player|title="MLB Player Batting Stats – 2009", ESPN, accessed October 8, 2009|work=ESPN.com|access-date=October 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141002233713/http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/seasontype/2/sort/hits/order/true|archive-date=October 2, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In spite of hitting ground balls at a rate of 55 percent, he grounded into only one double play all season; in the April 15 game, his first game played in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last=Carleton |first=Russell |title=Baseball Therapy: 2009 in Number |url=http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9888 |date=December 28, 2009 |publisher=[[Baseball Prospectus]] |access-date=December 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127060524/http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9888 |archive-date=January 27, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> He won his second Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding right fielder in MLB.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 2009 Awards |url=http://www.billjamesonline.net/fieldingbible/the-2009-winners.asp |publisher=The Fielding Bible |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105001529/http://www.billjamesonline.net/fieldingbible/the-2009-winners.asp |archive-date=November 5, 2010 |access-date=November 17, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> In total, Suzuki had 2,030 hits in the 2000s, the most for all MLB players in that era.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://stathead.com/tiny/fxqxk |title=For combined seasons, from 2000 to 2009, in the regular season, sorted by descending Hits. |accessdate=July 15, 2025|website=[[Sports Reference|Stathead]]}}</ref>

====2010====
[[File:Ichiro Suzuki 2010.jpg|alt=|thumb|Suzuki batting in 2010]]
Suzuki's 37 career leadoff home runs rank 13th all time, {{As of|2024|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Career MLB Leadoff Home Runs |url=https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask/most-career-mlb-leadoff-home-runs |access-date=March 17, 2025 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref> Nevertheless, in 2009, Suzuki told ''The New York Times'':

<blockquote>Chicks who dig home runs aren't the ones who appeal to me. I think there's sexiness in infield hits because they require technique. I'd rather impress the chicks with my technique than with my brute strength. Then, every now and then, just to show I can do that, too, I might flirt a little by hitting one out.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/sports/baseball/23ichiro.html?_r=2 | work=The New York Times | title=Mariners' Suzuki on a First-Name Basis With Records | first=Brad | last=Lefton | date=August 23, 2009 | access-date=February 16, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108200406/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/sports/baseball/23ichiro.html?_r=2 | archive-date=January 8, 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

After playing in the season opener against the [[Oakland Athletics]], Suzuki became eligible for [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]] consideration, by playing in his tenth MLB season.<ref name="HOFe">{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100406&content_id=9109220&notebook_id=9109756&vkey=notebook_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea|title=Ichiro eligible for Hall consideration|last=Street|first=Jim|date=April 6, 2010|website=[[MLB.com]]|access-date=April 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410110702/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100406&content_id=9109220&notebook_id=9109756&vkey=notebook_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea|archive-date=April 10, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 5, 2010, Suzuki scored his 1,000th career MLB run against the Angels on [[Franklin Gutierrez]]'s RBI groundout. On September 1, 2010, Suzuki also collected his 2,200th hit, a leadoff infield single against [[Cleveland Indians]] pitcher [[Josh Tomlin]].

During the August 2010 series against the [[New York Yankees]], Suzuki traveled to the [[Calvary Cemetery (Queens, New York)|Calvary Cemetery]] in [[Queens]], New York, to pay his respects at the grave of Hall-of-Famer [[Willie Keeler|"Wee Willie" Keeler]], whose record for consecutive 200-hit seasons he had broken in 2009.<ref>Dave Neihaus, FSNW television broadcast of Seattle Mariners vs New York Yankees, August 21, 2010</ref>

On September 23, Suzuki hit a single to center field against [[Toronto Blue Jays]] pitcher [[Shawn Hill]] to become the first MLB player in history to reach the 200 hit mark for 10 consecutive seasons. This feat also tied him with [[Pete Rose]] for the most career seasons of 200+ hits, and he surpassed [[Ty Cobb]] for most career seasons of 200+ hits in the AL. He finished the season with 214 hits, topping MLB in that category. Suzuki also finished the season "ironman" style, playing in all 162 games. Only Suzuki and [[Matt Kemp]] did so for the 2010 season. This was Suzuki's 3rd season playing in all 162 games. Also, Suzuki was nominated for the [[This Year in Baseball Awards|This Year in Baseball Award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101013&content_id=15614006&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea |title=Ichiro, King Felix up for TYIB Awards |publisher=Seattle.mariners.mlb.com |access-date=March 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020211321/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101013&content_id=15614006&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea |archive-date=October 20, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Suzuki finished first or second in hits in all of his first 10 MLB seasons.

Suzuki won his tenth consecutive [[Rawlings Gold Glove Award]] in 2010, tying [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], [[Andruw Jones]], and [[Al Kaline]], and trailing only Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays (twelve each) for major league outfielders.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101109&content_id=16041500&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |title=Ichiro wins 10th straight Gold Glove |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=October 29, 2010 |access-date=March 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111172822/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101109&content_id=16041500&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-date=November 11, 2010 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101027&content_id=15864376&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |title=Hunter, Ichiro each seeking 10th AL Gold Glove |work=Major League Baseball |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |access-date=March 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110222147/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101027&content_id=15864376&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-date=November 10, 2010 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Suzuki also won his second consecutive and third overall [[Fielding Bible Award]] for his statistically based defensive excellence in right field.<ref name=gleeman>{{cite news
| title = Yadier Molina leads fifth annual "Fielding Bible Awards"
| first = Aaron
| last = Gleeman
| author-link = Aaron Gleeman
| url = http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/11/01/yadier-molina-leads-fifth-annual-fielding-bible-awards/
| work = NBCSports.com
| date = November 1, 2010
| access-date = November 11, 2010
| quote = For those of us who have come to more or less ignore Gold Glove awards as a meaningful way to measure defensive excellence, the fifth annual Fielding Bible Awards were announced today.
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101103232951/http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/11/01/yadier-molina-leads-fifth-annual-fielding-bible-awards/
| archive-date = November 3, 2010
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> Suzuki was the first right fielder in MLB history to win multiple Bible awards.

====2011====
[[File:Ichiro Suzuki (51007139572) (cropped).jpg|alt=|thumb|Suzuki in 2011]]
On April 2, 2011, Suzuki broke the Mariners' all-time career hits record with his 2,248th hit in the 9th inning versus the Oakland Athletics, overtaking the team's previous leader Edgar Martínez.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johns|first=Greg|title=Humbled Ichiro breaks Edgar's hits mark|url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110402&content_id=17307462&notebook_id=17308108&vkey=notebook_sea&c_id=sea&partnerId=ed-4344441-193444916|access-date=April 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007074420/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110402&content_id=17307462&notebook_id=17308108&vkey=notebook_sea&c_id=sea&partnerId=ed-4344441-193444916|archive-date=October 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> 2011 marked the first time in Suzuki's 11 seasons that he failed to make the All-Star team. He batted under .300 (.277) before the All-Star break for the first time in his career. On July 10, manager [[Eric Wedge]] did not start Suzuki, ending his then-major league-best active streak of 255 consecutive starts. Suzuki followed with an 11-game hitting streak, but Wedge noted "it's not that easy to give that guy a day off" due to Suzuki's iconic stature.<ref name=howard>{{cite news|last=Howard |first=Johnette |title=The chutzpah of Ichiro |date=July 28, 2011 |work=ESPN.com |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/commentary/story/_/page/howard-110728/ichiro-suzuki-seattle-mariners-singles-vs-home-runs-reasons-dropoff |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013205926/http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/page/howard-110728/ichiro-suzuki-seattle-mariners-singles-vs-home-runs-reasons-dropoff |archive-date=October 13, 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref> On August 22, Suzuki hit his 35th career leadoff homer, tying him for 6th place with [[Bobby Bonds]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ichiro ties Bonds for sixth in leadoff homers |date=August 22, 2011 |work=MLB.com |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110823&content_id=23616834&notebook_id=23616838&vkey=notebook_sea&c_id=sea |access-date=October 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617202034/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110823&content_id=23616834&notebook_id=23616838&vkey=notebook_sea&c_id=sea |archive-date=June 17, 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Suzuki finished the season batting a career-low .272 with 184&nbsp;hits, the first time in his 11-year MLB career he did not record 200&nbsp;hits. It was also his first season not playing in the All-Star game, as well as his first season not winning a Gold Glove.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gio Gonzalez closes year with 8-inning gem to lift A's |date=September 28, 2011 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=ESPN.com |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310928112 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004044630/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310928112 |archive-date=October 4, 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

====2012====

On June 19, 2012, Suzuki led off a game against the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] with a single to center field, the 2,500th hit of his MLB career. Suzuki reached the milestone in the fourth-fewest games in major league history, after [[Al Simmons]], [[Ty Cobb]], and [[George Sisler]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Bloom|first=Barry M.|title=Ichiro back in lineup, collects 2,500th hit|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120619&content_id=33592268&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb%20%20%20,after|work=mlb.com|publisher=MLB Advanced Media, L.P.|access-date=June 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617204733/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120619&content_id=33592268&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb%20%20%20,after|archive-date=June 17, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 13-inning road loss to the Oakland A's on July 8, Suzuki was placed second in the batting order and responded by going 2 for 6 to bring his season batting average to .261 heading into the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box#gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box|title=July 8, 2012 Box score vs. A's|work=MLB.com|access-date=July 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201211046/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box#gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box|archive-date=February 1, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In the previous night's game, Suzuki recorded two hits to break a career-worst 0-for-23 hitless streak.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-mariners-2-1-13-000853863--mlb.html|title=A's top Mariners in 13 to end 1st half at .500|last=Dubow|first=Josh|agency=AP|work=Yahoo! Sports|date=July 8, 2012|access-date=July 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712014750/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-mariners-2-1-13-000853863--mlb.html|archive-date=July 12, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki had also been tried at the three-spot in the batting order<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2018743207_stone22.html|title=Ichiro's legacy muddied what should be a clear-cut contract decision|last=Stone|first=Larry|date=July 21, 2012|access-date=July 22, 2012|newspaper=Seattle Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725063657/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2018743207_stone22.html|archive-date=July 25, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> during a season for which he earned $18 million. Former teammate [[Jay Buhner]] stated he felt Suzuki was the recipient of too much blame for the Mariners' difficulties but "at the same time, they need help desperately." Buhner stated that if Suzuki were awarded a three-year contract extension for somewhere between $35 million and $40 million, "I'd vomit. I mean, really, no offense. No offense, we've got to get this organization turned around. You can't be spending all the money on one guy."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2018709473_mariners_notes18.html|newspaper=The Seattle Times|title=Jay Buhner says 'I'd vomit' if Ichiro was offered big contract extension|date=July 17, 2012|access-date=July 22, 2012|last=Baker|first=Geoff|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721054952/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2018709473_mariners_notes18.html|archive-date=July 21, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

With a contract extension with the Mariners unknown, Suzuki stated, "It's going to go both ways. It can't just come from the player. It's got to come from the team, too. If the team is saying they need you, you're necessary, then it becomes a piece. But if it's just coming from the player, it's not going to happen."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-draws-from-lessons-learned-from-friend-buck-o-neil-as-he-ponders-future-with-mariners.html|title=Ichiro draws lessons learned from friend Buck O'Neil as he ponders future with Mariners|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=July 22, 2012|last=Passan|first=Jeff|work=Yahoo! Sports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722002055/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-draws-from-lessons-learned-from-friend-buck-o-neil-as-he-ponders-future-with-mariners.html|archive-date=July 22, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki's agent, Tony Attanasio, said, "He knows that the club has to grow. He knows they have to play the younger guys and get them more playing time. The only way he knows to do that is to move on. He doesn't want to stop playing. He wants to continue."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2018755284_ichirotrade24.html|title=Ichiro traded to Yankees for minor-league prospects|date=July 23, 2012|access-date=July 23, 2012|newspaper=The Seattle Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213053231/http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2018755284_ichirotrade24.html|archive-date=February 13, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

===New York Yankees (2012–2014)===
[[File:Army Black Knights vs New York Yankees (8609236609) (cropped).jpg|thumb|250px|Suzuki in 2013]]

====Rest of 2012: second postseason appearance====
Suzuki approached the Mariners to ask for a trade at midseason in 2012. His first choice was to play for the [[New York Yankees]]. The Mariners traded him to the Yankees for minor league pitchers [[D. J. Mitchell (baseball)|D. J. Mitchell]] and [[Danny Farquhar]] on July 23. Seattle also received cash in the trade. Suzuki left Seattle hitting .261 with a .288 [[on-base percentage]] (OBP), four home runs, 28 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 95 games. His first game as a Yankee was played the night of the trade, at Safeco Field against the Mariners.<ref name="YankeesTrade">{{cite news|last=Berry|first=Adam|title=Mariners trade Ichiro to Yanks for two prospects|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120723&content_id=35428210&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|access-date=July 23, 2012|newspaper=MLB.com|date=July 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725105444/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120723&content_id=35428210&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|archive-date=July 25, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://tracking.si.com/2012/07/23/ichiro-trade-yankees/|title=Ichiro traded to Yankees|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=July 23, 2012|access-date=July 23, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725114541/http://tracking.si.com/2012/07/23/ichiro-trade-yankees/|archive-date=July 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Feinsand |first=Mark |date=July 23, 2012 |title=Yankees acquire 10-time All-Star Ichiro Suzuki from the Seattle Mariners for two pitching prospects |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankees-acquire-10-time-all-star-ichiro-suzuki-seattle-mariners-pitching-prospects-article-1.1120383 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725050504/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankees-acquire-10-time-all-star-ichiro-suzuki-seattle-mariners-pitching-prospects-article-1.1120383 |archive-date=July 25, 2012 |access-date=July 23, 2012 |website=[[New York Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name=waldstein_10082012>{{cite news |last=Waldstein |first=David |title=Suzuki Soaks in the Postseason After a Decade Away From It |date=October 8, 2012 |newspaper=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/sports/baseball/at-38-ichiro-suzuki-soaks-in-the-postseason.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131040225/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/sports/baseball/at-38-ichiro-suzuki-soaks-in-the-postseason.html?_r=0 |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Before the trade was consummated, Suzuki agreed to the Yankees' conditions, which stated that they would play Suzuki primarily in left field, bat him at the bottom of the lineup, and occasionally sit him against left-handed pitching.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matthews |first=Wallace |date=July 24, 2012 |title=New York Yankees' Ichiro Suzuki made concessions before agreeing to trade – ESPN New York |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8195019/new-york-yankees-ichiro-suzuki-made-concessions-agreeing-trade |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725072601/http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8195019/new-york-yankees-ichiro-suzuki-made-concessions-agreeing-trade |archive-date=July 25, 2012 |access-date=September 24, 2012 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Suzuki hit safely in his first 12 games as a Yankee, tying a record set by [[Don Slaught]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121219&content_id=40753838&oid=36019 |title=Yankees officially announce Ichiro signing |publisher=Web.yesnetwork.com |access-date=January 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102010808/http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121219&content_id=40753838&oid=36019 |archive-date=January 2, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He wore number 31 during his tenure with the Yankees, as his traditional 51 had not been used since the 2006 retirement of [[Bernie Williams]], who wore it while playing for the Yankees.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/yankees/ichiro-settles-no-31-new-yankee-uniform-number-blog-entry-1.1653079|title=Ichiro settles on No. 31 as new Yankee uniform number|work=NY Daily News|access-date=July 1, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810130543/http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/yankees/ichiro-settles-no-31-new-yankee-uniform-number-blog-entry-1.1653079|archive-date=August 10, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Suzuki hit his first home run as a Yankee, and the 100th of his career, on July 30 against the [[Baltimore Orioles]].<ref>{{cite web |author1=Yankee Stadium |author2=New York |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320730110&teams=baltimore-orioles-vs-new-york-yankees |title=Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees – Recap – July 30, 2012 – ESPN |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=July 30, 2012 |access-date=September 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118153345/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320730110&teams=baltimore-orioles-vs-new-york-yankees |archive-date=November 18, 2015 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> For the week ending September 23, Suzuki was named [[AL Player of the Week]] after hitting .600 (15-for-25) with three doubles, two home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored, and six stolen bases in six games. He led all MLB players in batting average, hits, steals and OBP (.630).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120924&content_id=38948232&vkey=pr_nyy&c_id=nyy |title=Ichiro Suzuki of the New York Yankees named the American League Player of the Week &#124; yankees.com: News |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |access-date=September 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015024310/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120924&content_id=38948232&vkey=pr_nyy&c_id=nyy |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> In 67 games with New York, Suzuki batted .322 with a .340 OBP, 28 runs, five home runs and 27 RBIs. With his improved performance, the Yankees at times batted him second and also started him against left-handers.<ref name=waldstein_10082012/>

Against the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[2012 ALDS]], Suzuki ran home on a ball hit by [[Robinson Canó]]. Despite the ball beating him to the plate, Orioles catcher [[Matt Wieters]] had difficulty tagging Suzuki, who evaded multiple tag attempts by jumping over and around Wieters. In Game 1 of the [[2012 ALCS]], Suzuki hit his first career postseason home run; however, the Yankees lost the series to the [[Detroit Tigers]] in 4 games.

On December 19, 2012, Suzuki finalized a $13 million deal for two years with the Yankees.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yankees To Give Ichiro $6.5 Million In Both 2013 And 2014|date=December 19, 2012|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/19/yankees-to-give-ichiro-6-5-million-in-both-2013-and-2014/|publisher=CBS News New York|access-date=December 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121231090546/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/19/yankees-to-give-ichiro-6-5-million-in-both-2013-and-2014/|archive-date=December 31, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

====2013====
On June 25, 2013, Suzuki hit a walk-off home run against Rangers pitcher [[Tanner Scheppers]] with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Earlier in the game, three of his teammates had led off the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings with home runs, so all of the Yankees' runs in the game were provided by solo home runs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ichiro-s-walk-off-hr-gives-yankees-dramatic-win-over-rangers-1.5569364|title=Ichiro's HR gives Yanks walk-off win|access-date=April 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422140509/http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ichiro-s-walk-off-hr-gives-yankees-dramatic-win-over-rangers-1.5569364|archive-date=April 22, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 21, 2013, Suzuki collected his 4,000th professional career hit with a single off [[Toronto Blue Jays]] pitcher [[R. A. Dickey]], becoming the seventh player in professional baseball history known to have reached the mark after [[Pete Rose]], [[Ty Cobb]], [[Julio Franco]], [[Hank Aaron]], [[Jigger Statz]], and [[Stan Musial]].<ref name="espn">{{Cite web |last=Caple |first=Jim |date=August 21, 2013 |title=Ichiro Suzuki to reach remarkable 4,000-hit milestone |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/9586027/ichiro-suzuki-reach-remarkable-4000-hit-milestone |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006115312/http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9586027/ichiro-suzuki-reach-remarkable-4000-hit-milestone |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=September 30, 2014 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://baseballmusings.com/?p=95963|title=Chasing 4000 : baseballmusings.com|access-date=September 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006075707/http://www.baseballmusings.com/?p=95963|archive-date=October 6, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====2014====
On July 10, 2014, Suzuki collected his 2,800th MLB hit off of Cleveland Indians pitcher [[Scott Atchison]] in the top of the eighth inning at [[Progressive Field]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v34476859/nyycle-ichiro-collects-2800th-hit-with-single|title=Ichiro's 2,800th career hit|website=MLB.com|access-date=April 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422140434/http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v34476859/nyycle-ichiro-collects-2800th-hit-with-single|archive-date=April 22, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> On August 9, 2014, Suzuki hit a single in a game against the Astros to pass [[George Sisler]] on the all-time hit list with his 2,811th hit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2014/08/09/mccann-lands-on-dl-teixeira-may-return-sunday/|title=McCann lands on DL, Teixeira may return Sunday|first=Dan|last=Martin|date=August 10, 2014|access-date=December 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402035920/https://nypost.com/2014/08/09/mccann-lands-on-dl-teixeira-may-return-sunday/|archive-date=April 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki had previously broken Sisler's single season hit record in the 2004 season.

===Miami Marlins (2015–2017)===
====2015====
On January 23, 2015, Suzuki agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the [[2015 Miami Marlins season|Miami Marlins]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/107247704/source-ichiro-suzuki-marlins-agree-to-one-year-deal |title=Source: Ichiro, Marlins agree to 1-year deal |last=Berry |first=Adam |work=MLB.com |date=January 23, 2015 |access-date=January 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123214920/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/107247704/source-ichiro-suzuki-marlins-agree-to-one-year-deal |archive-date=January 23, 2015 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The Marlins originally planned for him to be their fourth outfielder, but he finished the season with 439 [[plate appearances]] due to team injuries—primarily [[Giancarlo Stanton]], who suffered a season-ending injury on June 26.<ref name=waldstein_10032015>{{cite news |last=Waldstein |first=David |title=Ichiro Suzuki Aiming at Age 50 (but First, 3,000 Hits) |date=October 3, 2015 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/sports/baseball/ichiro-suzuki-aiming-at-age-50-but-first-3000-hits.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007024154/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/sports/baseball/ichiro-suzuki-aiming-at-age-50-but-first-3000-hits.html?_r=0 |archive-date=October 7, 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schoenfield |first=David |title=2015 offseason preview: Miami Marlins |date=November 11, 2015 |website=ESPN.com |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/66216/2015-offseason-preview-miami-marlins |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113071440/http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/66216/2015-offseason-preview-miami-marlins |archive-date=November 13, 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref> On April 25, Suzuki scored his 1,310th major league run, which, combined with the 658 runs he scored in Japan, surpassed the record for runs scored by a Japanese player set by [[Sadaharu Oh]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=350425128 |title=Koehler, Marlins win 4th in a row, beat Nationals 8–0 |date=April 25, 2015 |access-date=April 25, 2015 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150425225509/http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=350425128 |archive-date=April 25, 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref> On June 18, he was batting .294 after playing in 64 of the Marlins' 68 games, but his average fell to .229 by season's end.<ref name=waldstein_10032015/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ichiro Suzuki 2015 Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=suzukic01&t=b&year=2015 |access-date=January 14, 2025 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> On August 14 at [[Busch Stadium]], Suzuki singled off [[2015 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] starter [[John Lackey]] to earn his 4,192nd top-level hit, passing [[Ty Cobb]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Zunavich |first=Adam |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miami-marlins/article31234787.html |title=Ichiro surpasses Ty Cobb in hits but Marlins fall to Cardinals |work=[[Miami Herald]] |date=August 15, 2015 |access-date=August 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101223438/http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miami-marlins/article31234787.html |archive-date=November 1, 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref> On July 29, Suzuki recorded his 2,900th major league hit, against [[2015 Washington Nationals season|Washington Nationals]] pitcher [[Doug Fister]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/07/29/ichiro-hit-milestone-not-enough-in-marlins-7-2-loss-to-nats/30866877/|title=Ichiro hit milestone not enough in Marlins 7-2 loss to Nats|work=[[USA Today]]|agency=Associated Press|date=July 29, 2015|access-date=April 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422153744/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/07/29/ichiro-hit-milestone-not-enough-in-marlins-7-2-loss-to-nats/30866877/|archive-date=April 22, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 18, Suzuki had his first four-hit game since 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 19, 2015 |title=Suzuki's 4 hits lift Marlins past Brewers 9-6 |url=https://apnews.com/fl-state-wire-wi-state-wire-65d537d4b38846898f0b5000da6ae635 |access-date=January 14, 2025 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> On August 31, against the [[2015 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]], Suzuki scored his 2,000th professional run, combining his runs scored in MLB (1,342) and in Japan's NPB (658).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-has-scored-2000-professional-runs/c-146587096 |title=Ichiro has scored 2000 professional runs |work=Major League Baseball |date=August 31, 2015 |access-date=October 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005165032/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/146587096/ichiro-has-scored-2000-professional-runs |archive-date=October 5, 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref> On September 5, Suzuki recorded his 100th right field assist in the major leagues.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-suzuki-gets-100th-right-field-assist/c-147680038 |title=Ichiro Suzuki gets 100th right-field assist |work=Major League Baseball |date=September 6, 2015 |access-date=October 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005161849/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/147680038/ichiro-suzuki-gets-100th-right-field-assist |archive-date=October 5, 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref> In the season finale against the [[2016 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] on October 4, he made his major league pitching debut, completing the final inning and allowing one run and two hits in a 7–2 loss.<ref name=FSAP>{{cite news |title=Ichiro pitches inning in relief for Marlins |url=http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/ichiro-rivera-star-outfielder-pitches-inning-in-relief-for-marlins-100415 |access-date=October 4, 2015 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[Fox Sports]] |date=October 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102095626/http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/ichiro-rivera-star-outfielder-pitches-inning-in-relief-for-marlins-100415 |archive-date=January 2, 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref> For the 2015 season, he batted .229/.282/.279 with 11 stolen bases.<ref name=bf>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suzukic01.shtml|title=Ichiro Suzuki|work=[[Baseball-Reference]]|year=2018|access-date=October 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090518030310/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suzukic01.shtml|archive-date=May 18, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

====2016====
[[File:Ichiro Suzuki signature batting stance 2016.jpg|thumb|Suzuki in 2016]]
On October 6, 2015, Suzuki and the Marlins agreed on a one-year, $2 million contract for the 2016 season. The deal also came with a $2 million club option for 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Dayn |date=October 6, 2015 |title=Ichiro Suzuki re-signs with Marlins on one-year, $2-million deal |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/ichiro-suzuki-re-signs-with-marlins-on-one-year-2-million-deal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007060017/http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25329483/marlins-announce-ichiro-suzuki-to-return-in-2016 |archive-date=October 7, 2015 |access-date=October 6, 2015 |website=CBSSports.com}}</ref> He stole his 500th career MLB base on April 29, 2016, against the [[2016 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]], and led off the game with a single against [[Zach Davies]] to move ahead of [[Frank Robinson]] into 33rd place on the all-time MLB hit list with the 2,944th hit of his career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gruman |first=Andrew |date=April 29, 2016 |title=Marlins' Ichiro Suzuki steals 500th base |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/marlins-ichiro-suzuki-steals-500th-base/c-175333194 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123223227/https://www.mlb.com/news/marlins-ichiro-suzuki-steals-500th-base/c-175333194 |archive-date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=June 3, 2018 |website=MLB.com}}</ref>

On June 15, Suzuki recorded his 4,257th career hit, breaking [[Pete Rose]]'s all-time record for hits in top tier professional baseball.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ichiro Suzuki breaks baseball career hits record with double against Padres|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/15/pete-rose-icihiro-suzuki-mlb-hit-record|website=The Guardian|date=June 15, 2016|access-date=June 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616023623/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/15/pete-rose-icihiro-suzuki-mlb-hit-record|archive-date=June 16, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Rose commented that "I'm not trying to take anything away from Ichiro, he's had a Hall of Fame career, but the next thing you know you'll be counting his high school hits."<ref name="NBCSports.com">{{cite web |url=http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/pete-rose-ichiro-suzuki-hits/ |title=FOR PETE'S SAKE Ichiro Suzuki deserves his own place in history |work=NBCSports.com |access-date=June 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620153802/http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/pete-rose-ichiro-suzuki-hits/ |archive-date=June 20, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This was in response to the Japanese media labeling Suzuki as the "Hit King", claiming that Suzuki should be considered to be the all-time hits leader when his hits in Japan are included.<ref name="NBCSports.com"/> American media was more divided on the significance of the accomplishment, though some major sources acknowledged the milestone as indicating Suzuki had become the greatest hitter in baseball.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2016 |title=Ichiro Is The True Hit King And Pete Rose Can Eat Shit |url=https://deadspin.com/ichiro-is-the-true-hit-king-and-pete-rose-can-eat-shit-1782063120 |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=Deadspin |language=en}}</ref>

On August 7, Suzuki collected the 3,000th hit of his MLB career when he hit a triple off the right field wall at [[Coors Field]] playing against the [[Colorado Rockies]]. He is just the second player to reach that milestone by way of a triple, joining Hall of Famer [[Paul Molitor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/08/07/ichiro-suzuki-3000-mlb-hits/88368750/|title=Ichiro Suzuki records 3,000th MLB hit with towering triple|date=August 7, 2016|website=USAToday.com|access-date=October 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518192950/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/08/07/ichiro-suzuki-3000-mlb-hits/88368750/|archive-date=May 18, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> He also became one of only seven players to have collected 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/ichiro-transitioning-to-role-of-special-assistant-to-the-chairman-effective-immediately/|author-first1=Ryan|author-last1=Divish |title=Ichiro removed from Mariners' 25-man roster — but he will remain in the organization |work=The Seattle Times |date=May 3, 2018 |access-date=June 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504161944/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/ichiro-transitioning-to-role-of-special-assistant-to-the-chairman-effective-immediately/ |archive-date=May 4, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> At the end of his 16th season, Suzuki had played in exactly 2,500 major league games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/trainer-tidbit-fascinating-ichiro-fact-article-1.2979097|title=Trainer tidbit might be most fascinating Ichiro fact|website=NYDailyNews.com|date=February 22, 2017 |access-date=October 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924044917/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/trainer-tidbit-fascinating-ichiro-fact-article-1.2979097|archive-date=September 24, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki and [[Pete Rose]] are the only two players in MLB history to have accomplished playing in 2,500 games in their first 16 seasons.<ref name=bf/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pete Rose Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rosepe01.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412052216/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rosepe01.shtml |archive-date=April 12, 2009 |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

After the 2016 season, the Marlins exercised their option on Suzuki's contract for the 2017 season, and added an option for the 2018 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-marlins/sfl-marlins-pick-up-ichiro-s-2017-option-add-another-for-2018-20161005-story.html|title=Marlins pick up Ichiro's 2017 option, add another for 2018; make Martin Prado's extension official|work=Sun Sentinel|first=Tim|last=Healey|date=October 5, 2016|access-date=October 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009120823/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-marlins/sfl-marlins-pick-up-ichiro-s-2017-option-add-another-for-2018-20161005-story.html|archive-date=October 9, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

====2017====
On April 19, Suzuki hit his first home run against his former team the [[Seattle Mariners]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Townsend |first=Mark |date=April 20, 2017 |title=Ichiro authors perfect ending to potential final game in Seattle |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-authors-perfect-ending-potential-final-game-seattle-001025005.html;_ylt=A0LEVv45wvpY0WYAgU4nnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTEyc3VkamdoBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjM4ODdfMQRzZWMDc2M- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903072623/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-authors-perfect-ending-potential-final-game-seattle-001025005.html;_ylt=A0LEVv45wvpY0WYAgU4nnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTEyc3VkamdoBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjM4ODdfMQRzZWMDc2M- |archive-date=September 3, 2017 |access-date=September 1, 2017 |website=Yahoo! Sports}}</ref> a 9th-inning drive off [[Evan Marshall (baseball)|Evan Marshall]].<ref name="j209">{{cite web | last=Berg | first=Ted | title=Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki homered in (perhaps) his final at-bat at Safeco Field | website=For The Win|publisher=USA Today | date=April 19, 2017 | url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/04/seattle-mariners-ichiro-suzuki-miami-marlins-home-run-safeco-field-mlb | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref> Suzuki scored his 1400th run in a May 23 game against the Oakland A's.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK201705230.shtml|title=Miami Marlins at Oakland Athletics Box Score, May 23, 2017 - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817081417/https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK201705230.shtml|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Northrop |first=Chris |date=December 26, 2017 |title=Ichiro Suzuki, 44, Waits for MLB Opportunity |url=https://www.baseballessential.com/news/2017/12/26/ichiro-suzuki-44-waits-for-mlb-opportunity |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123517/https://www.baseballessential.com/news/2017/12/26/ichiro-suzuki-44-waits-for-mlb-opportunity/ |archive-date=February 8, 2018 |access-date=February 7, 2018 |website=Baseball Essential}}</ref>

On June 14, Suzuki singled for his 365th interleague hit, passing [[Derek Jeter]] (364) to become the all-time leader in interleague hits.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clair |first=Michael |date=June 14, 2017 |title=Ichiro broke the all-time Interleague hits record in the most fitting way: With an infield single |url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/ichiro-hit-an-infield-single-to-break-the-interleague-hits-record-c236462988 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618061357/http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/06/14/236462988/ichiro-hit-an-infield-single-to-break-the-interleague-hits-record |archive-date=June 18, 2017 |access-date=June 26, 2017 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> Suzuki finished 2017 with 368 interleague hits. This total would be surpassed by [[Miguel Cabrera]] on September 7, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2021/09/07/miguel-cabrera-passes-ichiro-suzuki-all-time-interleague-hits-list-detroit-tigers-3-2-loss-pittsburg/5752096001/ |title=Cabrera passes Ichiro on all-time interleague hits list in 3-2 loss to Pirates |publisher=The Detroit News |first=Chris |last=McCosky |date=September 7, 2021 |access-date=September 8, 2021}}</ref>

On June 25, Suzuki (age 43 and 246 days) became the oldest player to start a game in center field since at least 1900, breaking the record previously held by [[Rickey Henderson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lwosports.com/2017/06/26/ichiro-suzuki-oldest-start-cf/|title=Ichiro Oldest Player to Start in CF Since 1900|editor-first=John |editor-last=Flanigan|date=June 26, 2017|access-date=June 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817075702/http://lwosports.com/2017/06/26/ichiro-suzuki-oldest-start-cf/|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> On June 29, Suzuki became the oldest active MLB player when [[Bartolo Colón]] was designated for assignment by the [[Atlanta Braves]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spencer |first=Clark |date=June 30, 2017 |title=Ichiro moves up to MLB's current oldest player |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miami-marlins/article159204959.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713175130/http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miami-marlins/article159204959.html |archive-date=July 13, 2017 |access-date=July 13, 2017 |website=[[Miami Herald]]}}</ref> although Colón latched on with the [[Minnesota Twins]] a few weeks later.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 19, 2017 |title=Murphy: Bartolo Colón's Twins debut big, not too sexy |url=http://www.twincities.com/2017/07/18/murphy-bartolo-colons-twins-debut-big-not-too-sexy/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817075356/http://www.twincities.com/2017/07/18/murphy-bartolo-colons-twins-debut-big-not-too-sexy/ |archive-date=August 17, 2017 |access-date=August 16, 2017 |website=Twin Cities}}</ref> On July 6, Suzuki hit two singles against the [[St. Louis Cardinals]], bringing his hits total to 3,054 and surpassing Panamanian-born [[Rod Carew]] as the all-time leader in MLB hits among foreign-born players.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370706124|title=Cardinals slip past Marlins for 4-3 win|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ESPN|date=July 7, 2017|access-date=July 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707001918/http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370706124|archive-date=July 7, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Dominican-born [[Adrián Beltré]] surpassed Suzuki as the foreign-born hits leader on June 13, 2018.<ref name="all-time foreign hits leader">{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23787047/adrian-beltre-tops-ichiro-suzuki-most-mlb-hits-foreign-born-player/|title=Adrian Beltre tops Ichiro Suzuki for most MLB hits by foreign-born player|work=[[espn.com]]|access-date=April 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614171517/http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23787047/adrian-beltre-tops-ichiro-suzuki-most-mlb-hits-foreign-born-player/|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 26, Suzuki set the Marlins' single-season franchise record for [[Pinch hitter|pinch-hits]] with his 22nd pinch hit.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370826128|title=Rojas' sacrifice fly helps Marlins beat Padres 2-1 in 11|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ESPN|date=August 27, 2017|access-date=August 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827043430/http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370826128|archive-date=August 27, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> On September 3, he set a major league record for most pinch-hit at-bats in a season, with 84,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370903128|title=Williams drives in 2 in 12th to help Phils beat Marlins 3-1|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ESPN|date=September 4, 2017|access-date=September 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904025257/http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370903128|archive-date=September 4, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and four days later he set a major league record for most pinch-hit plate appearances in a season, with 95.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.marlins.mlb.com/news/article/253134060/marlins-ichiro-suzuki-nears-pinch-hit-record/|title=Marlins' Ichiro Suzuki nears pinch-hit record|website=Miami Marlins|access-date=October 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913124123/http://m.marlins.mlb.com/news/article/253134060/marlins-ichiro-suzuki-nears-pinch-hit-record/|archive-date=September 13, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> On September 8, Suzuki became the sixth player all-time to hit 2,500 [[List of Major League Baseball career singles leaders|career singles]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/fish-bytes/article172182142.html|title=Ichiro tallies 2,500th career single|last=Spencer|first=Clark|work=Miami Herald|date=September 8, 2017|access-date=September 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920100124/http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/fish-bytes/article172182142.html|archive-date=September 20, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as the 8th right fielder of all-time to record over 4,000 [[List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a right fielder leaders|putouts at the position]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2017/12/26/ichiro-suzuki-44-waits-for-mlb-opportunity/ |title=Ichiro Suzuki, 44, Waits for MLB Opportunity |last=Northrop |first=Chris |date=December 26, 2017 |website=baseballessential.com |access-date=February 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121094055/http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2017/12/26/ichiro-suzuki-44-waits-for-mlb-opportunity/ |archive-date=November 21, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On October 1, Suzuki flied out in his last chance to tie [[John Vander Wal]]'s MLB record of 28 pinch hits in a season, finishing with 27.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/1/stanton-ends-with-59-braves-beat-marlins-8-5/|title=Stanton ends with 59 HRs, Braves beat Marlins 8-5|work=The Washington Times |last=Reynolds |first=Tim |agency=Associated Press |date=October 1, 2017|access-date=October 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008080708/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/1/stanton-ends-with-59-braves-beat-marlins-8-5/|archive-date=October 8, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

For the season, he batted .255/.318/.332 with one stolen base (the first season in which he did not steal at least 10 bases).<ref name=bf/> After the season, the Marlins declined a $2 million club option for the 2018 season, instead paying Suzuki a $500,000 buyout.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/11/03/ichiro-suzuki-marlins-club-option-free-agency|title=Marlins Decline Club Option on Hit King Ichiro Suzuki, Making Him a Free Agent|first=Jon|last=Tayler|date=November 3, 2017|access-date=March 7, 2018|magazine=Sports Illustrated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031056/https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/11/03/ichiro-suzuki-marlins-club-option-free-agency|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Return to the Mariners (2018&ndash;2019)===
====2018====
[[File:Ichiro Suzuki - Minnesota Twins - Opening Day vs Seattle Mariners (27394574508) (Cropped).jpg|250px|thumb|right|upright|Suzuki during his second stint with the Mariners in 2018]]
On March 7, 2018, Suzuki signed a one-year contract to return to the [[2018 Seattle Mariners season|Mariners]] after several team outfielders were injured during spring training.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2018 |title=Mariners re-sign Ichiro |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22678294/seattle-mariners-bring-back-ichiro-suzuki-1-year-deal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308042245/http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22678294/seattle-mariners-bring-back-ichiro-suzuki-1-year-deal |archive-date=March 8, 2018 |access-date=March 7, 2018 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On [[Opening Day]], March 29, against the [[Cleveland Indians]], Suzuki became the 20th outfielder all-time to record 5,000 [[List of Major League Baseball career putouts as an outfielder leaders|career putouts at the position]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The latest buzz around baseball star Ichiro Suzuki |url=http://nikkeivoice.ca/the-latest-buzz-around-baseball-star-ichiro-suzuki/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218083045/http://nikkeivoice.ca/the-latest-buzz-around-baseball-star-ichiro-suzuki/ |archive-date=February 18, 2019 |access-date=February 18, 2019 |website=Nikkei Voice}}</ref> At 44 years old, he entered the 2018 season as the second-oldest active player in baseball, behind only [[Bartolo Colón]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mintz |first1=Jake |last2=Shusterman |first2=Jordan |date=March 29, 2018 |title=Ichiro became the 5th-oldest player to start Opening Day; here are the others |url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/the-oldest-players-to-start-on-opening-day/c-269990206 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218081745/https://www.mlb.com/cut4/the-oldest-players-to-start-on-opening-day/c-269990206 |archive-date=February 18, 2019 |access-date=February 17, 2019 |website=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>

On May 3, the Mariners announced that Suzuki would move to the front office as a special assistant to the chairman for the remainder of the season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Steve |date=May 3, 2018 |title=Ichiro Suzuki Moves To Front Office Role, Will Not Continue Playing In 2018 |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/05/ichiro-suzuki-retire-mariners-front-office.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503214749/https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/05/ichiro-suzuki-retire-mariners-front-office.html |archive-date=May 3, 2018 |access-date=May 3, 2018 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}}</ref> but Suzuki did not rule out a possible return as a player for the 2019 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gleeson |first=Scott  |date=May 3, 2018 |title=Ichiro Suzuki says he will retire 'when I start using a cane' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/mariners/2018/05/03/ichiro-suzuki-retirement-seattle-mariners-front-office/579669002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623193604/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/mariners/2018/05/03/ichiro-suzuki-retirement-seattle-mariners-front-office/579669002/ |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=USA TODAY Sports}}</ref> In his final game for the year on the previous day, he went 0-for-3 with a walk, a strikeout, and a run in a 3–2 loss to the [[Oakland Athletics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA201805020.shtml |title=Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners Box Score |date=May 2, 2018 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=May 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504091835/https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA201805020.shtml |archive-date=May 4, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> This would end up being his last game played at Safeco Field. In 15 games played with the [[2018 Seattle Mariners season|2018 Mariners]], Suzuki batted 9-for-44 (.205/.255/.205) without an extra base hit, stolen base, or RBI.

On May 11, he became the interim bench coach for two games as manager [[Scott Servais]] was gone to attend his daughter's college graduation and regular bench coach [[Manny Acta]] was filling in as manager.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/05/11/baseball/mlb/ichiro-fill-mariners-bench-coach-weekend-series/|title=Ichiro to fill in as Mariners bench coach for weekend series|date=May 11, 2018|work=The Japan Times Online|access-date=July 4, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0447-5763|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704093822/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/05/11/baseball/mlb/ichiro-fill-mariners-bench-coach-weekend-series/|archive-date=July 4, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

====2019====
On October 2, 2018, it was announced that Suzuki would be on the Mariners' active roster when they opened the [[2019 MLB season|2019 season]] against the [[Oakland Athletics]] in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Zucker|first1=Joseph|title=Ichiro Suzuki to Be Included on Mariners Roster for 2019 Japan Series|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2798751-ichiro-suzuki-to-be-included-on-mariners-roster-for-2019-japan-series|website=BleacherReport.com|date=October 2, 2018|access-date=November 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112021716/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2798751-ichiro-suzuki-to-be-included-on-mariners-roster-for-2019-japan-series|archive-date=November 12, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Carroll|first1=Charlotte|title=Ichiro Expected On Mariners Roster for Japan Series To Open 2019 Regular Season|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2018/10/02/ichiro-suzuki-mariners-japan-series-opens-2019-regular-season|website=SI.com|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=October 2, 2018|access-date=November 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112101346/https://www.si.com/mlb/2018/10/02/ichiro-suzuki-mariners-japan-series-opens-2019-regular-season|archive-date=November 12, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki was re-signed to a minor league deal on January 23, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johns |first=Greg  |date=January 23, 2019 |title=Source: Ichiro inks Minors deal with Mariners |url=https://www.mlb.com/mariners/news/mariners-ichiro-suzuki-have-minor-league-deal/c-303026988 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124203314/https://www.mlb.com/mariners/news/mariners-ichiro-suzuki-have-minor-league-deal/c-303026988 |archive-date=January 24, 2019 |access-date=January 24, 2019 |website=MLB.com}}</ref>

[[File:Ichiro final game Tokyo Dome 2019.jpg|thumb|After announcing his retirement post-game, Suzuki took a lap around the Tokyo Dome, followed by photographers, to salute fans.]]
On March 20, 2019, the Mariners opened the MLB season against the Athletics at the [[Tokyo Dome]] and Suzuki started the game in right field, becoming at 45 years old the second oldest position player (behind [[Julio Franco]]) to start for a team on its opening day.<ref name="c532">{{cite web | last=Langs | first=Sarah | title=Oldest players to start Opening Day | website=MLB.com | date=March 20, 2019 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/oldest-players-to-start-on-opening-day | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref> The next night, the Mariners again played the Athletics at the Tokyo Dome and Suzuki played in his final professional game. He went 0–4 at the plate and in the bottom of the eighth inning walked off the field to applause.<ref>{{ cite web | url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2826954-report-legend-ichiro-suzuki-to-retire-after-nearly-30-years-in-mlb-japan | title=Legend Ichiro Suzuki Retiring After Nearly 30 Years in MLB, Japan | work=[[Bleacher Report]] | author=Mike Chiari | date=March 21, 2019 | access-date=March 21, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322025921/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2826954-report-legend-ichiro-suzuki-to-retire-after-nearly-30-years-in-mlb-japan | archive-date=March 22, 2019 | url-status=live }}</ref> Later in the day, Suzuki officially announced his retirement.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Johns|first1=Greg|title=Ichiro announces retirement after emotional finale|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-in-lineup-for-opening-series-finale|website=MLB.com|publisher=[[MLB]]|date=March 21, 2019|access-date=March 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321122513/https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-in-lineup-for-opening-series-finale|archive-date=March 21, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> He was the oldest active MLB player at the time.<ref name="e790">{{cite web | last=Leitch | first=Will | title=Oldest players in Major League Baseball | website=MLB.com | date=March 21, 2019 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/oldest-players-in-major-league-baseball | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref>

2019 was Suzuki's 19th season in MLB, and including the nine years he played in Japan's NPB, Suzuki's 28 seasons of playing in baseball's top-tiered leagues<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=suzuki001ich|title=Ichiro Suzuki Japanese Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/03/24/figure-skating/yuzuru-hanyu-gushes-retiring-baseball-star-ichiro-suzuki/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325113843/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/03/24/figure-skating/yuzuru-hanyu-gushes-retiring-baseball-star-ichiro-suzuki/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 25, 2019|title=Yuzuru Hanyu gushes about retiring baseball star Ichiro Suzuki|date=March 24, 2019|via=Japan Times Online}}</ref> eclipsed the record of most seasons played by a position player held previously by 19th century MLB player [[Cap Anson]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_most_seasons.shtml|title=Most Seasons Played|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> (MLB pitcher [[Nolan Ryan]], like Anson, also played 27 seasons,<ref name="auto"/> while NPB pitcher [[Kimiyasu Kudo]] played 29 seasons.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kudoh-001kim|title=Kimiyasu Kudo Japanese & Minor Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

On April 30, 2019, Suzuki renewed his role with the Mariners from the previous year as special assistant to the chairman.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/333aca287e7b4fc9ba5d609f918b0458|title=Ichiro Suzuki back with Mariners as special assistant|first=Tim|last=Booth|date=May 1, 2019|website=AP NEWS}}</ref>

==International career==
===2006: Inaugural World Baseball Classic===
[[File:WBC2006 Ichiro Suzuki 1.jpg|alt=|thumb|Suzuki at the [[2006 World Baseball Classic]]]]
Suzuki played for the [[Japan national baseball team]] in the inaugural [[2006 World Baseball Classic|World Baseball Classic]] in March 2006. During the March 15 Japan-Korea game, Suzuki was booed by some spectators during every at-bat, reportedly in response to a previous statement that he wanted to "beat South Korea so badly that the South Koreans won't want to play Japan for another 30 years."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.seattlepi.com/baseball/263231_japan16.html?source=mypi | title=Ichiro forced to eat words |publisher=Seattle P-I| last=D'Hippolito | first=Joseph | date=March 16, 2006 | access-date = August 23, 2009}}</ref> That, however, was an incorrect translation mostly spread to the public through ESPN. Suzuki was variously quoted as saying "I want to win in a way that the opponent would think, 'we cannot catch up with Japan for the coming 30 years'. We should not merely win the games."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/wbc06/news/20060302ie29.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20060626140243/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/wbc06/news/20060302ie29.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 26, 2006 |title=イチロー「ただ勝つだけじゃ、つまらない」 |work=[[Yomiuri Shimbun]] |date=March 2, 2006 }}</ref> Japan would later beat Korea in the playoffs and win the tournament after defeating Cuba 10–6 in the finals.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/news/recap.jsp?ymd=20060305&content_id=1334986&gameid=2006_03_05_korint_jpnint_1 | archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120216071730/http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/news/recap.jsp?ymd=20060305&content_id=1334986&gameid=2006_03_05_korint_jpnint_1 | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 16, 2012 | title=Korea upsets Japan in showdown | work=[[MLB.com]] | last=Street | first=Jim | date=March 5, 2006 | access-date=August 23, 2009 }}</ref> For the tournament, Suzuki had twelve hits including a home run, seven runs, and four stolen bases.

===2009: Second WBC championship===
Despite struggling uncharacteristically during most of the tournament, Suzuki provided the game-winning hit in the Championship game against South Korea. With two outs in the top of the tenth inning, he broke a 3–3 tie with a two-run single off a ball in the dirt. This would prove to be the margin of victory in Japan's 5–3 defeat of South Korea.<ref name="i193">{{cite web | title=Baseball: Japan beat South Korea to retain World Baseball Classic title | website=The Guardian | date=March 24, 2009 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/24/japan-south-korea-world-baseball-classic-ichiro-suzuki | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref> Suzuki ended the night 4-for-6, bringing his total to 6-for-10 in WBC championship games.

==Playing style==
[[File:Ichiro3.jpg|thumb|right|170px|Suzuki in 2005]]
Sportswriter Bruce Jenkins, writing in the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'', described Suzuki's distinctive style of play:

<blockquote>There's nobody like Ichiro in either league—now or ever. He exists strictly within his own world, playing a game 100 percent unfamiliar to everyone else. The game has known plenty of 'slap' hitters, but none who sacrifice so much natural ability for the sake of the art. And he'll go deep occasionally in games, looking very much like someone who could do it again, often ... [but] the man lives for hits, little tiny ones, and the glory of standing atop the world in that category. Every spring, scouts or media types write him off, swearing that opposing pitchers have found the key, and they are embarrassingly wrong.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/07/28/SPG6G7UCGL1.DTL |title=Closing the deal: Ichiro, Byrnes like no one else in game today |work=San Francisco Chronicle |last=Jenkins |first=Bruce |date=July 28, 2004 |access-date=November 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040803051539/http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2004%2F07%2F28%2FSPG6G7UCGL1.DTL |archive-date=August 3, 2004 |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

While he is known for his hitting ability, he did not draw many [[Base on balls|walks]]. In 2004, when he set the single-season record for hits, his low walk total (49) led to him being on base a total of 315 times. It was the 58th-most times a player has reached base in a season and short of the major league record of 379 set by [[Babe Ruth]] in 1923.<ref name=howard /><ref name=hoffman>{{cite news |last=Hoffman |first=Benjamin |title=With Suzuki, There's Less Than Meets the Eye |date=July 10, 2011 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |page=SP5 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/sports/baseball/with-ichiro-suzuki-theres-less-than-meets-the-eye.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ichiro&st=cse |access-date=February 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330075834/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/sports/baseball/with-ichiro-suzuki-theres-less-than-meets-the-eye.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ichiro&st=cse |archive-date=March 30, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[The New York Times]]'' criticized his inability to improve his power when his Mariner teams were often low-scoring while noting that he also did not steal bases as frequently as [[Rickey Henderson]] or [[Tim Raines]].<ref name=hoffman /> Suzuki, however, once commented, "If I'm allowed to hit .220, I could probably hit 40 [home runs], but nobody wants that."<ref name=howard />

Suzuki has long been interested in pitching professionally, and he actually took the mound to pitch to one batter in the 1996 NPB All Star game, reaching close to {{convert|91|mph|abbr=on}} in warm up pitches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvp-kuAX5Bg|title=Ichiro Suzuki pitching in Japanese All-Star Game 1996 (Long-Version 2)|last=bandpost|date=March 12, 2009|via=YouTube|access-date=June 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150730084753/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvp-kuAX5Bg|archive-date=July 30, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, it was reported that during an early February workout at the World Baseball Classic his fastball was clocked at 92&nbsp;mph.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2009/02/09/ichiros-92-mph-fastball-might-come-in-handy/|title=Ichiro's 92 mph fastball might come in handy|date=February 9, 2009|access-date=June 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827092215/http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2009/02/09/ichiros-92-mph-fastball-might-come-in-handy/|archive-date=August 27, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> On the final day of the 2015 season on October 4, Suzuki pitched in his first MLB game, throwing one complete inning at the end of a 7–2 Marlins loss against the [[Philadelphia Phillies]], allowing one run on two hits.<ref name=FSAP /> Less than three weeks before turning 42, he was still able to touch 88&nbsp;mph with his fastball to go along with a mid 80s slider.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ichiro finally got to pitch in an MLB game and he has a wicked slider|url=https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/10/4/9451107/ichiro-suzuki-marlins-pitching-im-crying|access-date=October 5, 2015|first=Rodger|last=Sherman|date=October 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827172857/https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/10/4/9451107/ichiro-suzuki-marlins-pitching-im-crying|archive-date=August 27, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Suzuki is the only left-handed hitter in Major League history with at least 2,000 plate appearances against left-handed pitching to display a reverse platoon split—that is, he had better results hitting off left-handed pitchers than right-handed pitchers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Reverse platoons|url=http://tangotiger.com/index.php/site/comments/reverse-platoons |access-date=May 4, 2021|first=Tom|last=Tango}}</ref>

Suzuki received recognition for playing superior defense in right field, with above-average range and a strong and accurate throwing arm.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Foster |first1=Jason |title=Ichiro Suzuki gave us 19 seasons, but Cooperstown only needed the first 10 |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/mlb/news/ichiro-gave-us-19-seasons-but-cooperstown-only-needed-the-first-10/1vk42qojp0pv1ifbqfy5p2npm |website=The Sporting News |access-date=February 13, 2022 |language=en |date=March 21, 2019}}</ref> During his career, he won 10 [[Gold Glove Award]]s.

==Personality and influence==
[[File:Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) 2011 (5709448882).jpg|alt=|left|thumb|Suzuki bunting in 2011]]
Suzuki is noted for his work ethic in arriving early for his team's games, and for his [[calisthenics|calisthenic]] stretching exercises to stay limber even during the middle of the game. Continuing in Seattle the custom he began in Japan, he used his given [[Japanese name|name]] (written in [[Romanization of Japanese|rōmaji]]) on the back of his uniform instead of his family name, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball to do so since [[Vida Blue]].<ref name="p850">{{cite web | last=Marshall | first=John | title=The Answer Guy: Ichiro known only on first-name basis | website=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date=April 16, 2001 | url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/the-answer-guy-ichiro-known-only-on-first-name-1052177.php | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref>

In addition to being a ten-time Gold Glove winner, Suzuki was a ten-time All-Star selection from 2001 to 2010. His success has been credited with opening the door for other Japanese players like former [[Yomiuri Giants]] [[Glossary of baseball (S)#slugger|slugger]] [[Hideki Matsui]], former [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]] [[catcher]] [[Kenji Johjima]], former teammate [[So Taguchi]], and former [[Seibu Lions]] [[infielder]] [[Kazuo Matsui]] and active players [[Shohei Ohtani]] and [[Seiya Suzuki]] to enter the Major Leagues. Suzuki's career was followed closely in Japan, with national television news programs covering each of his at-bats, and with special tour packages arranged for Japanese fans to visit the United States to attend his games.<ref name="langjones2002">{{cite web | title = Tourism groups pitch M's Ichiro | last = Lang Jones | first = Jeanne | date = April 14, 2002 | website = Puget Sound Business Journal | url = https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2002/04/15/story3.html | access-date = April 17, 2022}}{{subscription required}}</ref>

Suzuki's agent, Tony Attanasio, described his client's status: "When you mail Ichiro something from the States, you only have to use that name on the address and he gets it [in Japan]. He's that big."<ref name="baseball-almanac.com"/> Suzuki's status in Japan fueled interest in Major League Baseball in Japan, including the $275 million broadcasting rights deal between MLB and [[Dentsu Inc.]] in 2003.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Engleman|first=Eric|date=February 27, 2005|title=Ichiro Inc.: The M's True Impact Player|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2005/02/28/story1.html|access-date=August 8, 2020|website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref>

Suzuki performs in TV commercials in Japan for [[Nippon Oil|ENEOS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://superichirocrazy.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/ichiro-pitches-for-nippon-oil/|title=Ichiro Pitches for Nippon Oil|access-date=July 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530000040/http://superichirocrazy.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/ichiro-pitches-for-nippon-oil/|archive-date=May 30, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> His likeness is used as the basis of the character "Kyoshiro" in the anime and manga ''[[Major (manga)|Major]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kyoushirou Saeki |url=https://myanimelist.net/character/96607/Kyoushirou_Saeki |access-date=April 28, 2023 |website=MyAnimeList.net |language=en}}</ref>

When he first came to the United States, he especially enjoyed trips to [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] to talk with former [[Negro leagues]] star [[Buck O'Neil]]. When O'Neil died in 2006, Suzuki sent a very large memorial wreath to the funeral service. The following year, he visited the [[Negro Leagues Baseball Museum]] while on a road trip to Kansas City and made what, as of 2016, remains the largest contribution ever made to the museum by an active MLB player.<ref name=Tomlinson>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17105389/miami-marlins-ichiro-suzuki-approaches-3000th-major-league-hit |title=Ichiro Suzuki, still connecting |first=Tommy |last=Tomlinson |work=ESPN.com |date=July 19, 2016 |access-date=July 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722084315/http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/17105389/miami-marlins-ichiro-suzuki-approaches-3000th-major-league-hit |archive-date=July 22, 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

When Suzuki was traded to the Yankees in July 2012, longtime Mariners fan [[Ben Gibbard]] (of [[Death Cab for Cutie]]) posted his tribute song, "Ichiro's Theme", on his [[SoundCloud]] page.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ben-gibbard-unearths-ichiros-theme-20120724 |title=Ben Gibbard Unearths 'Ichiro's Theme' |date=July 24, 2012 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=August 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810061025/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ben-gibbard-unearths-ichiros-theme-20120724 |archive-date=August 10, 2017 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/07/26/157435827/thanks-for-the-mariners-memories-ben-gibbards-ichiros-theme |title=Thanks For The Mariners Memories: Ben Gibbard's 'Ichiro's Theme' |date=July 27, 2012 |last=Handel |first=Sarah |publisher=[[NPR]] |access-date=August 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309055539/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/07/26/157435827/thanks-for-the-mariners-memories-ben-gibbards-ichiros-theme |archive-date=March 9, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The previous year, [[The Baseball Project]] had released the tribute song "Ichiro Goes To The Moon" on their album ''[[Volume 2: High and Inside]]'',<ref name="u884">{{cite web | last=McCann | first=Zach | title=Baseball Project: 'Ichiro Goes to the Moon' | website=ESPN.com | date=July 31, 2012 | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/music/post/_/id/2355/baseball-project-ichiro-goes-to-the-moon | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref> which Gibbard contributed backing vocals to. Suzuki was also featured in his rookie season with Seattle in a hip-hop song recorded by Xola Malik and remixed by [[Sir Mix-a-Lot|Sir Mix-A-Lot]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Press |first=The Associated |date=July 5, 2001 |title=Ichiro featured in rap song |url=https://theworldlink.com/ichiro-featured-in-rap-song/article_fdc0d9f3-5f28-5163-ac7b-76149306c836.html |access-date=July 11, 2025 |website=The Coos Bay World |language=en}}</ref> KIRO Radio's [[Dave Ross]] also wrote a tribute song to Suzuki, drawing inspiration from on ''[[The Barber of Seville]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ross |first=Dave |date=March 21, 2019 |title=Ross: A musical tribute to Mariners Ichiro Suzuki |url=https://mynorthwest.com/dave-ross-blog/mariners-ichiro-suzuki-song/1316819 |access-date=July 11, 2025 |website=MyNorthwest.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Legacy==
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = Ichiro 51.png
|Name   = Ichiro Suzuki
|Number = 51
|Team   = Seattle Mariners
|Year   = 2025
|}}
In 2018, researcher Jose Fernandez-Triana named a newly discovered species of [[wasp]] after Suzuki; ''[[Diolcogaster ichiroi]]'', collected at the [[Archbold Biological Station]] in [[Highlands County, Florida]], was named "to honor the truly unique and remarkable Ichiro Suzuki, [Fernandez-Triana's] favorite baseball player and one of the best ever to play the game" and "was still playing for [[Miami Marlins|a Florida team]] and thus naming a species endemic from [[Florida]] after him made complete sense."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fernandez-Triana |first1=Jose |title=Ten unique and charismatic new species of Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from North America |journal=ZooKeys |date=January 18, 2018 |issue=730 |pages=123–150 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.730.22869 |doi-access=free |pmid=29416399 |pmc=5799786 |bibcode=2018ZooK..730..123F }}</ref>

[[File:Ichiro Mariners Hall of Fame induction.jpg|thumb|Ichiro Suzuki delivers a speech to the crowd at T-Mobile Park in Seattle during his induction into the Mariners Hall of Fame.]]
On August 27, 2022, Suzuki was inducted into the [[Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2021 |title=Ichiro to be inducted into Mariners HOF in August |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/32655178/ichiro-suzuki-inducted-seattle-mariners-hall-fame-aug-27 |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

On January 16, 2025, Suzuki was elected to the [[Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame]] in his first year of eligibility. He appeared on 323 of the 349 valid ballots submitted, becoming the sixth-overall highest vote percentage in the Hall's history at 92.6%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 16, 2025 |title=Baseball: Ichiro joins Japan Hall of Fame before U.S. announcement |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/01/1ef5c39ad1ba-update1-baseball-ichiro-joins-japan-hall-of-fame-before-us-announcement.html |access-date=January 16, 2025 |website= KYODO NEWS|language=en}}</ref>

Later that month, Suzuki was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in his first year on the [[2025 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|ballot]], receiving 393 of a possible 394 votes, tying [[Derek Jeter]] for the second-highest vote share in history.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Castrovince |first1=Anthony |title=First-timers Ichiro, CC and elite closer Wagner elected to Hall |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2025-baseball-hall-of-fame-election-results |website=mlb.com |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=January 21, 2025 |date=January 21, 2025}}</ref> He became the first Japanese and, by extension, Asian-born player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ichiro Suzuki elected into Baseball Hall of Fame, misses out on unanimous induction by one vote |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/baseball-hall-of-fame-ichiro-suzuki |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=[[International Olympic Committee]] |date=January 22, 2025}}</ref> On the same day, the Mariners announced that a ceremony would be held in August of that year to formally retire Suzuki's uniform number 51.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Doug |title=Ichiro's 'special' relationship with Seattle to culminate in number retirement |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-suzuki-to-have-number-retired-by-mariners |website=MLB.com |publisher=MLB |access-date=January 22, 2025 |language=en |date=January 21, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Kowatsch |first1=Teren |title=Seattle Mariners Will Retire 2025 Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki's No. 51 |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/mariners/news/seattle-mariners-will-retire-2025-hall-of-famer-ichiro-suzuki-no-51-jersey-and-will-display-it-with-ken-griffey-jr-and-edgar-martinez-numbers |magazine=Sports Illustrated |publisher=Sports Illustrated |access-date=January 22, 2025 |language=en |date=January 21, 2025}}</ref> Later that year, on July 27, Suzuki was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony at [[Cooperstown, New York]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Castrovince |first1=Anthony |title=Watch LIVE: Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner, Parker, Allen enter HOF |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2025-baseball-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony |website=MLB.com |access-date=July 27, 2025}}</ref>

== Endorsements ==
Over the course of his career, Suzuki has endorsed numerous Japanese brands, although he was more reluctant to enter endorsement deals with American companies.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Virgin|first1=Bill|last2=Columnist|first2=P.-I.|date=June 8, 2007|title=Ichiro leaves millions on marketing table in U.S.|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/baseball/article/Ichiro-leaves-millions-on-marketing-table-in-U-S-1239914.php|access-date=August 8, 2020|website=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> According to ''[[Forbes]]'', at one point in his career, Suzuki earned roughly $7 million annually from endorsements, most of which came from Japanese companies.<ref name="Roger5">{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Phil |date=December 4, 2017 |title=Many endorsements expected for Shohei Ohtani |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/many-endorsements-expected-for-shohei-ohtani/c-262805282 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308103749/https://www.mlb.com/news/many-endorsements-expected-for-shohei-ohtani/c-262805282 |archive-date=March 8, 2018 |access-date=March 7, 2018 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[Major League Baseball]] |language=en}}</ref>

He was the face of [[Kirin Brewery]], a Japanese beer brand.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Means |first=Colin |date=August 15, 2010 |title=Ichiro Likes His Beer Excellently Processed |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/436242-ichiro-likes-his-beer-excellently-processed |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100910012339/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/436242-ichiro-likes-his-beer-excellently-processed |archive-date=September 10, 2010 |access-date=August 8, 2020 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> He has endorsed Japanese brands such as sporting goods company [[Mizuno Corporation]],<ref name="k370">{{cite web | last1=Takato | first1=Daisuke | last2=Whipp | first2=Lindsay | title=Next pitch to Ichiro: fat endorsement deals | website=The Seattle Times | date=October 25, 2001 | url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20011025&slug=ichiro25 | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref> [[Nikko Cordial]], [[NTT Communications]], [[Asics]], [[JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy]].<ref name=":0" /> Suzuki also endorsed [[Yunker]] energy drink on behalf of [[Sato Pharmaceutical]] and [[Oakley, Inc.|Oakley]] sunglasses.<ref name="Roger5" />

In 2001, Suzuki had deals with the [[Cutter & Buck]], [[Upper Deck Company|Upper Deck]] trading cards, and sporting goods company [[Majestic Athletic]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2001 |title=Japan's Favorite Sun: Mariners' Ichiro A Hit W/ Endorsements |url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com:443/en/Daily/Issues/2001/10/25/Sponsorships%20Advertising%20Marketing/Japans%20Favorite%20Sun%20Mariners%20Ichiro%20A%20Hit%20W%20Endorsements.aspx |access-date=August 8, 2020 |website=Sports Business Daily |language=en}}</ref>

Suzuki's agent Tony Attanasio stated that Suzuki had rejected around $40 million in endorsements due to him being "very selective when it comes to putting his name out in the public."<ref name=":0" />

==Personal life==
[[File:Suzuki Ichirō and his wife Yumiko.jpg|thumb|Suzuki and his wife Yumiko at the [[:en:2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2009 Red Carpet All-Star Parade]]]]
He has an elder brother, Kazuyasu Suzuki.<ref name="Aretha2016">{{cite book|author=David Aretha|title=Ichiro Suzuki: Baseball's Most Valuable Player|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgpiDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA16|date=July 15, 2016|publisher=Enslow Publishing, LLC|isbn=978-0-7660-7902-1|pages=16–}}</ref>

Suzuki married {{Nihongo|Yumiko Fukushima|[[:ja:福島弓子|福島弓子]]|Fukushima Yumiko}}, a former [[Tokyo Broadcasting System|TBS TV]] announcer,<ref>{{cite news|last1=D'Angelo|first1=Tom|title=Ichiro Suzuki creates buzz like no other player in Marlins history|url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/baseball/ichiro-suzuki-creates-buzz-like-no-other-player-in/nkW3m/|access-date=April 12, 2016|work=Palm Beach Post|date=March 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424172636/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/baseball/ichiro-suzuki-creates-buzz-like-no-other-player-in/nkW3m/|archive-date=April 24, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> on December 3, 1999,<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2016 |title=MLB: Ichiro Suzuki gets 3,000th career hit in major leagues |url=http://mainichi.jp/english/graphs/20160808/hpe/00m/0sp/001000g/5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211081126/http://mainichi.jp/english/graphs/20160808/hpe/00m/0sp/001000g/5 |archive-date=February 11, 2017 |access-date=February 10, 2017 |website=The Mainichi}}</ref> at a small church in [[Santa Monica, California]]. {{As of|2019}}, they had a pet dog ([[Shiba Inu]]) named Ikkyu,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Doug|title=Ichiro sets Mariners hit-streak record|url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/5112264/|access-date=April 12, 2016|website=MLB.com|date=2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423035918/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/5112264/|archive-date=April 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Baseball: Ichiro's retirement press conference, as it happened |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/03/9df9f7cbd5e3-baseball-ichiros-retirement-press-conference-as-it-happened.html |access-date=March 17, 2025 |website=Kyodo News+|date= March 22, 2019}}</ref> a combination of the first character in each of his and his wife's first names. The couple resided in [[Issaquah, Washington]], during the seasons while he played in Seattle and in [[Greenwich, Connecticut]], while he played for the Yankees. They resided in [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]] during seasons with the Marlins.<ref name=Tomlinson/>

[[File:Ichiroll.jpg|250px|thumb|An older variation of the "Ichiroll", a menu item offered at [[Safeco Field|T-Mobile Park]] named after Ichiro Suzuki]]
On March 18, 2011, Suzuki donated [[Japanese yen|¥]]100 million ($1.25 million) to the [[Japanese Red Cross]] for [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|earthquake and tsunami]] [[Humanitarian response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|relief efforts]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 18, 2011 |title=Report: Ichiro Suzuki donates 100M yen |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=6234412 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320004613/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6234412 |archive-date=March 20, 2011 |access-date=March 19, 2011 |work=[[ESPN.com]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

Suzuki's father, Nobuyuki, handled Ichiro's finances early in his career<ref name="internal">{{cite news|last1=Thompson|first1=Wright|title=Ichiro's return to Seattle won't resolve the battle raging within him|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/22624561/ichiro-suzuki-return-seattle-mariners-resolve-internal-battle|access-date=March 7, 2018|work=[[ESPN.com]]|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307185054/http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/22624561/ichiro-suzuki-return-seattle-mariners-resolve-internal-battle|archive-date=March 7, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> until, in 2002, due to Nobuyuki underreporting Ichiro's income, Ichiro was saddled with a significant bill for unpaid taxes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ichiro may owe $168,000 in taxes|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Ichiro-may-owe-168-000-in-taxes-1104404.php|access-date=March 7, 2018|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=December 31, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308103919/https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Ichiro-may-owe-168-000-in-taxes-1104404.php|archive-date=March 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The scandal cost Ichiro an undisclosed amount of money and caused him embarrassment. This incident, along with Nobuyuki's relentless training and unforgiving attitude toward his son, caused their relationship to collapse.<ref name="internal" /> Subsequently, Ichiro's finances have been looked after by his wife Yumiko.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/22624561/ichiro-suzuki-return-seattle-mariners-resolve-internal-battle |title=When Winter Never Ends |first=Wright |last=Thompson |website=[[ESPN]] |date=March 7, 2018 |access-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307185054/http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/22624561/ichiro-suzuki-return-seattle-mariners-resolve-internal-battle |archive-date=March 7, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

Since November 2000, Nobuyuki has run the Ichiro exhibition room named "I-fain" in [[Toyoyama, Aichi|Toyoyama]], Suzuki's hometown. It exhibits a wide variety of Ichiro Suzuki [[memorabilia]], including personal items from his childhood and up-to-date baseball gear.<ref name="nytimes1"/><ref name="seattletimes1"/>

Suzuki is the honorary chairman of the Ichiro Cup, a six-month-long boys' league tournament with more than 200 teams, held in [[Toyoyama, Aichi|Toyoyama]] and surrounding cities and towns since 1996. Suzuki watches the final game and attends its awards ceremony every year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/sb20031206a1.html|title=Ichiro returns home to watch boys' game|newspaper=[[The Japan Times]]|access-date=September 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://event.chunichi.co.jp/ichiro/|title=イチロー杯争奪学童軟式野球大会|newspaper=[[Chunichi Shimbun]]|access-date=September 25, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218135157/http://event.chunichi.co.jp/ichiro/|archive-date=February 18, 2013}}</ref>

Suzuki speaks English well and often spoke it with his teammates in his playing days,<ref>{{cite AV media | title=How good was Ichiro, really? | date=June 21, 2025 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bulA442ixSs | time=2:40 | via=YouTube }}</ref> but uses an interpreter during interviews so that he is not misunderstood.<ref name="p974">{{cite web | last=Oz | first=Mike | title=ESPN anchor has it all wrong about Ichiro not speaking English | website=Yahoo Sports | date=August 8, 2016 | url=https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-anchor-has-it-all-wrong-about-ichiro-not-speaking-english-181616723.html | access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref> He also learned Spanish early in his MLB career, using it to banter with other players.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/ichiro-suzuki-uncensored-en-espanol-1409356461|title=Ichiro Suzuki Uncensored, en Español|first=Brad|last=Lefton|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=August 29, 2014|via=www.wsj.com}}</ref> Suzuki further explains he did it because he felt a kinship to the Latin American players who, like him, were foreigners trying to succeed in the U.S.

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball|Japan}}
{{Div col}}
* [[Satō–Suzuki Baseball Match]]
* [[Best Nine Award]]
* [[Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award]]
* [[Fielding Bible Award]]
* [[History of the Japanese in Seattle]]
* [[Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball batting champions]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career at-bat leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career games played leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career plate appearance leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a right fielder leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career singles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball hit records]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball players from Japan]]
* [[Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
* [[Matsutaro Shoriki Award]]
* [[Mitsui Golden Glove Award]]
* [[Meikyukai]]
* [[Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Series]]
* [[Players Choice Awards]]
* [[Seattle Mariners award winners and league leaders]]
* [[This Year in Baseball Awards]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book|last=Whiting|first=Robert|title=The Meaning of Ichiro|year=2009|publisher=Grand Central Publishing|isbn=9780446565226|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bbXJcV8lWyIC&pg=PT14}}

==Further reading==
* Allen, Jim. ''Ichiro Magic''. New York: Kodansha America, 2001. {{ISBN|978-4-7700-2871-6}}
* Christopher, Matt, and Glenn Stout. ''At the Plate With... Ichiro''. New York: Little, Brown, 2003. {{ISBN|0-316-13679-4}}.
* Dougherty, Terri. ''Ichiro Suzuki''. ?: Checkerboard Books, 2003. {{ISBN|1-59197-483-6}}.
* {{Cite book
| last = Johnson
| first = Daniel
| year = 2006
| title = Japanese Baseball: A Statistical Handbook
| publisher=McFarland & Company
| isbn = 0-7864-2841-4
}}
* Komatsu, Narumi, and Philip Gabriel. ''Ichiro on Ichiro: Conversations with Narumi Komatsu''. Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 2004. {{ISBN|1-57061-431-8}}.
* Leigh, David S. ''Ichiro Suzuki''. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 2004. {{ISBN|0-8225-1792-2}}.
* Levin, Judith. ''Ichiro Suzuki''. New York: Chelsea House Publications, 2007. {{ISBN|0-7910-9440-5}}.
* Rappoport, Ken. ''Super Sports Star Ichiro Suzuki''. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Enslow Elementary, 2004. {{ISBN|0-7660-2137-8}}.
* Rosenthal, Jim. ''Ichiro's Art of Playing Baseball: Learn How to Hit, Steal, and Field Like an All-Star''. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2006. {{ISBN|0-312-35831-8}}.
* Savage, Jeff. ''Ichiro Suzuki''. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 2003. {{ISBN|0-8225-1344-7}}.
* Shields, David. ''"Baseball Is Just Baseball": The Understated Ichiro: An Unauthorized Collection Compiled by David Shields''. Seattle: TNI Books, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9678703-1-3}}.
* Stewart, Mark. ''Ichiro Suzuki: Best in the West''. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2002. {{ISBN|0-7613-2616-2}}.
* Whiting, Robert. ''The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime''. Warner Books, 2004; retitled for the 2005 paperback to ''The Samurai Way of Baseball: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime''. {{ISBN|0-446-53192-8}}, {{ISBN|0-446-69403-7}}.

==External links==
{{Sister project links |wikt=no |b=no |s=no |n=no |v=no |species=no |d=Q600}}
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