Ichiro Suzuki joins naval legends with retirement n ° 51

Seattle-The Mariners withdrew the emblematic n ° 51 on Saturday, honoring Ichiro Suzuki during a pre-match ceremony at the T-Mobile Park before facing the Rays of Tampa Bay.

“What’s up, Seattle!” Suzuki shouted. “I am so grateful to be here today, to receive this higher honor.”

The recent inducted in the fame of fame only becomes the third player of the navy to have his number withdrawn by the franchise, joining the legends Ken Griffey Jr. (n ° 24) and Edgar Martinez (n ° 11).

“Congratulations for having been inducted at the fame of fame and that your number has withdrawn,” said Griffey in a video tribute. “It’s almost time. I mean, what has taken you so long? I have been there for five years.”

Suzuki has entered history as a first Japanese player inducted into the fame of fame, winning 99.7% almost unanimous in the Writers ‘baseball vote’ Association of America.

After spending eight seasons in Professional Baseball in Japanese, Suzuki made his major league debut at the age of 27. During his season recruited in 2001, he captured both the recruit of the year of the American League and the most useful prices of the players, just becoming the second player to do it in the same season, joining Fred Lynn.

During a 19-year-old MLB career, Suzuki was an All-Star at 10 times, 10 times winner of Gold Glove, double champion of Al Batting and Triple Silgin in Triple. He set the record in a single season with 262 in 2004, which is still today. In NPB and MLB, he raised 4,367 strokes, including 3,089 in MLB.

Before the arrival of Suzuki, the renowned temple Randy Johnson also put on n ° 51 for nine seasons in Seattle.

Johnson launched the first without sure blow of the franchise in 1990 and won the first Cy Young in the Mariners prize in 1995. After leaving Seattle in 1998, the big unit added four other cy Youngs and a World Series title with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“For nine years, it was the only number I had in Japan,” said Suzuki. “(No.) 51 was my identity. But I knew that this number already had a rich story here.”

But Seattle will not forget the legacy of Johnson. The club announced that in 2026, it will also retire n ° 51 of Johnson, a unique and rare honor shared by two icons in the North West Pacific.

“I am grateful to Randy for having attended my ceremony today,” said Suzuki. “It will be a great honor to attend your next season.”

After short stays with the New York Yankees (2012-14) and Miami Marlins (2015-17), Suzuki returned to Seattle in 2018 and officially retired in 2019 after a series of two games in Tokyo.

While Suzuki made his way from the central field, songs of “Ich-II! Ich-Ii-Ro!” echo throughout the closed window stadium. The former teammates and mariners of the renown temple, Johnson, Griffey, Jay Buhner, Alvin Davis, Felix Hernandez, Edgar Martinez and Dan Wilson.

“I am also very proud to be a Seattle sailor,” said Suzuki, referring to the speech of enthronement at the Temple of Fame of Griffey in 2016.

President John Stanton has announced that the Mariners would place a statue of Suzuki at the T-Mobile Park in 2026. He said that he featured the emblematic pose of Batting Stance of Suzuki.

Suzuki remained a match with the Navy, serving as a special assistant from Stanton. Suzuki is often observed in a complete uniform, working with players during pre-match routines in Seattle.

“Although I can no longer help you with a successful or laser beam, my will and my desire are still there for you,” said Suzuki.