Report: Ichiro closing in on deal to return to Mariners
Ichiro Suzuki appears to have extended his MLB career for at least one more season, and he'll do so wearing some familiar colors.
The 44-year-old outfielder is reportedly moving closer to finalizing a one-year major-league contract with the Seattle Mariners, where he spent the first 12 seasons of his future Hall of Fame career, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
The signing could be completed later Monday or early Tuesday, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.
Ichiro told Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports that he couldn't be happier to be returning to Seattle, and added that he's taking his final physical with the team Monday afternoon.
#Ichiro Suzuki tells me that after passing his physical with the #Mariners, he might sign with the club tomorrow. He is absolutely thrilled to be back in Seattle.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 5, 2018
Earlier in the offseason, Ichiro's agent John Boggs told MLB.com that he and the Mariners had engaged in "extensive conversations" about a reunion before the team eventually passed. However, the Mariners' needs in the outfield changed Monday when it was revealed Ben Gamel will likely start the season on the disabled list with an oblique injury.
Ichiro played in 136 games for the Miami Marlins last season, but the bulk of his appearances came as a pinch hitter. Still, he managed to hit .255/.318/.332 over 215 plate appearances, and his 27 pinch hits were one shy of MLB's single-season record, set by John Vander Wal in 1995.
During his first stint with the Mariners from 2001-12, Ichiro was named AL Rookie of the Year and MVP in 2001 and broke the single-season hits record in 2004. He remains the franchise's all-time leader in hits, batting average, triples, and stolen bases.
Ichiro reached the 3,000-hit milestone in 2016, and when counting his pre-MLB statistics from Japan, is one of just nine players to have recorded over 4,000 professional hits at all levels of the game. Last season he passed Rod Carew for the most hits by a player born outside the United States in MLB history.