Seattle Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuk will be stepping onto the diamond for at least one more time in 2019.
When last we saw Ichiro Suzuki, the Seattle Mariners legend was a shell of his former self. While he was still good for the occasional highlight on defense, his storied hitting ability appeared to be over. He had produced a mediocre .205/.255/.205 batting line in his 47 plate appearances, failing to record an extra base hit. When he was named an assistant to the chairman, his career seemed to be over, even though he was still working out and taking batting practice with the team.
And yet, there was a chance that Ichiro would get another major league appearance. The Mariners were set to open the 2019 season with a two game set against the Oakland Athletics in Japan, giving Ichiro a chance to play in his native country. If the end was truly coming up for the greatest Japanese baseball player to come stateside, appearing in that series would be the perfect send off.
He will be getting that chance. According to Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto, Ichiro will be on the roster as an active player for that two game set. Of course, what happens afterward is anyone’s guess, as Dipoto is not committing to anything beyond those two games.
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Of course, there is still the matter of the Mariners having Ichiro on the roster for the series. He is a free agent after all, and could presumably sign with any team in the league. However, given the part that he played in the Mariners successful pursuit of Yusei Kikuchi, and the team’s desire to make him a permanent member of the franchise, that is likely a formality.
Then comes the hard part. Ichiro would need to prove that he can still play, as he would not want to go out as a parody of himself. Then, even if Ichiro is productive enough in Spring Training to satisfy his own lofty expectations, he would need to stay healthy. At that point, the roster can be figured out, especially as the teams will be able to carry 28 players for the series.
Hopefully, this farewell appearance gives Ichiro the storybook ending his career deserves. The setting is there, as the legendary player is heading back home to play in front of his adoring fans. Even if he does not homer in his final at bat, getting a couple of hits in Japan, while wearing a Mariners uniform, would be the perfect sendoff.
Ichiro Suzuki is not done just yet. He will be suiting up for the Seattle Mariners during their series against the A’s in Japan.