Ichiro Suzuki's legend grows as he nears 3,000 hits
It’s only a matter of time now before Ichiro Suzuki becomes the 30th player to notch 3,000 hits in Major League Baseball. In fact, it could be just a matter of hours. The 42-year-old outfielder will enter Sunday’s game against the New York Mets with 2,996 hits, meaning it’s within reach with a classic Ichiro afternoon.
That adds a whole new level of intrigue to an already important game, which we’re happy to say will be featured as the Free Game of the Day on Yahoo Sports. You can stream the game at Yahoo’s Sports Home, MLB index and video home beginning at 1:10 p.m. ET.
That Ichiro is now on the doorstep of 3,000 hits in MLB only further cements what a remarkable career he’s enjoyed. Ichiro also accrued 1,278 across nine seasons in Japan’s Central League, which in the opinion of some already makes him baseball’s true hit king. His career total surpassed Pete Rose’s 4,256 MLB hits over 24 seasons.
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Also impressive is the fact Ichiro didn’t start in MLB until he was 27 years and 162 days old. Only Rose himself has tallied more hits after turning 27, racking up 3,357 hits from that point on.
Ichiro’s run has been remarkable in every sense of the word, but the milestone that lies ahead was anything but a given two years ago, or even four months ago. After the New York Yankees let him walk away following the 2014 season, there was no guarantee Ichiro’s career in MLB would continue. There were rumors he’d head back to Japan or even retire. Then came an offer from the Marlins that has given him new life, new opportunity and renewed motivation to continue seeking greatness.
Even with Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and All-Star Marcell Ozuna locked in Miami’s outfield, Ichiro finds his way into the lineup two or three times a week. He’s currently hitting .339/.415/.394, and that includes two four-hit games and 18 multi-hit games overall.
Simply put, Ichiro is amazing.
In the end, his legacy will be that he was one the greatest pure hitters in baseball history. But his success has been driven as much by will and hard work as anything else.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
