The 2025 Baseball Writers’ Affiliation of America Corridor of Fame poll was launched on Monday. It’s headlined by legendary nearer Billy Wagner, veteran southpaw C.C Sabathia in addition to one in every of baseball’s high hitters, Ichiro Suzuki.
Whereas Wagner and Sabathia are additionally worthy of a spot in Cooperstown, Suzuki’s baseball achievements ought to make the Japanese celebrity a shoo-in first-ballot Corridor of Famer.
Over his illustrious 19-year MLB profession, Suzuki earned almost each accolade the Majors has to supply. He started his Main League profession with a bang in 2001 by successful American League Rookie of the Yr and MVP in his debut season.
Suzuki even grew to become the tenth member inducted into the Mariners Corridor of Fame in 2022.
The proficient outfielder adopted that up with 10 All-Star appearances, three Silver Slugger awards, two batting titles and 10 Gold Glove awards. Whereas these accolades needs to be greater than sufficient to make sure his spot in Cooperstown, listed here are 5 extra stats to spotlight why Suzuki needs to be enshrined within the Baseball Corridor of Fame.
Hits king
Together with his 9 years in Japan, Suzuki has extra profession hits than another skilled baseball participant with 4,367. He led the majors in hits seven instances in his 19 seasons and is one in every of seven gamers ever with 3,000 profession hits and 500 steals.
Suzuki surpassed the 200-hit plateau 10 instances, doing so in every of his first 10 seasons, when he averaged 224 per yr. He’s tied with the late Pete Rose for probably the most 200-hit campaigns. Lastly, regardless of making his MLB debut at 27 years previous, Suzuki completed his profession with 3,079 hits, which is the twenty fifth most in MLB historical past.
Ichiro’s magical 2004 season
In 2004, Suzuki loved one of the crucial productive seasons in MLB historical past. By means of 704 at-bats, the Mariners icon bat .372 and set a single-season document with 262 hits, breaking Corridor of Famer George Sisler’s 84-year-old document for many hits (257). Moreover, Suzuki grew to become one in every of simply 4 gamers to cross 700 at-bats in a single season, making his absurd effectivity on the plate much more spectacular contemplating the immensely excessive quantity.
Scorching begin
Following his spectacular debut season, by which he compiled 242 hits with a .350 batting common, Suzuki gained the 2001 AL MVP, becoming a member of Fred Lynn (1975 Crimson Sox) as the one rookies to win. The Japanese star was additionally named the 2001 AL Rookie of the Yr, turning into the third participant in membership historical past (Alvin Davis (1984) and Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000)) to win the award. Kyle Lewis (2020) grew to become the fourth Mariners participant to win the award.
Consistency is vital
Suzuki’s insane manufacturing as a batter has been mentioned at size, together with this text, however there may be one more stat that defies all logic. After Suzuki’s rookie season, the place he hit .350 with 69 RBI and stole 56 bases, his profession batting common by no means dipped under .300. After 2,653 video games performed in 19 seasons, Suzuki completed his profession with a powerful .311 batting common.
Two-way celebrity
Suzuki’s greatness was not restricted to offense, because the hard-throwing righty was probably the greatest outfielders in Main League historical past. The longtime Mariner gained a Gold Glove in every of his first 10 seasons, becoming a member of Corridor of Fame Reds catcher Johnny Bench (1968–77) as the one gamers to take action.
Ought to he rightfully be inducted within the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame in 2025, he can be the primary Japanese-born MLB participant enshrined in Cooperstown.
