Ichiro Suzuki now works as a special assistant to Seattle Mariners chairman John Stanton. Suzuki is a former professional baseball player from Japan.
Hailing from the small township of Toyoyama in Japan, he worked up to be one of the greatest outfielders in the MLB.
Ichiro began his professional baseball career in Japan with the Orix BlueWave in 1992. He was named the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player thrice before being posted for Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2001.
He signed with the Seattle Mariners and played for eleven seasons till 2012 before joining New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. Suzuki returned to Mariners in 2018, played for a year, and retired in 2019.
Ichiro led the Japanese national baseball team to their first World Baseball Classic triumph in 2006, followed by the second in 2009.
Several current-generation players from Japan, such as Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida, followed his legacy and guided the country to their third WBC title in 2023.
What Is Ichiro Suzuki Doing In 2023?
Ichiro Suzuki has taken on a new role as an instructor with the Seattle Mariners in 2023. He announced his retirement from playing in 2019.
Immediately after hanging his boots, the Japanese athlete agreed to embrace a new role at the club as a special assistant to the chairman.
His tasks involve reporting all the developments within the club's training facilities to the club's general manager Jerry Dipoto. In May 2019, Dipoto announced that club legend Suzuki would be part of the team in a different role in the future.
In addition to his former position, Ichiro adapted to a new role as a mentor for both the Major League and AAA clubs divisions of the Seattle Mariners.
He focuses primarily on guiding players in outfield play, base-running, and batting, collaborating with the hitting coaches. Moreover, his time is dedicated mainly to working with players before the games of the team's home fixtures.
Ichiro's new role with the Mariners represents a continuation of his long-standing relationship with the team. He was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in August 2022.
The left-handed batter began his Major League Baseball career with the Mariners in 2001 and played for the team for 12 seasons before moving on to other teams in the league.
His vast wealth of knowledge and experience undoubtedly prove to be a valuable asset to the Mariners' youth facilities as they continue to develop and improve their players.
What Happened To Ichiro Suzuki?
Ichiro suffered an injury to his head which forced him to leave the pitch early in March 2018. During a minor league game, the Seattle Mariners outfielder came off early.
However, later the club announced he had suffered a slight knock and would be fine in a matter of days, per Bleacher Report.
Likewise, Ichiro found himself in an automobile accident in March 2013. According to the Tama Police Department, the then-Yankees player was driving his Land Rover south on a Tampa highway when he collided with Linda Trange.
Luckily, Suzuki was not heavily injured and left only with a few bruises.
Besides, he wrapped up his blistering MLB career with a heart-wrenching goodbye in his homeland of Tokyo, Japan.
After a two-decade-long MLB stint, spreading over three teams, Ichiro announced his retirement in 2019.
Suzuki became the first Japanese position player in the MLB when he joined the Mariners. His arrival at the Majors brought back the historic storm between Japanese baseball and the MLB.
Ichiro was barred from competing in the United States until he was finally given the green light in 2001.
Before 2001, Ichiro was pitched to the Majors in the 1992 MLB draft, but many American baseball teams were convinced that the 18-year-old Ichiro would be able to cope with the league's toughness.
However, Suzuki became an immediate sensation in the country after he arrived in the US to play for the Seattle Mariners.
He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award and the American League Most Valuable Player Award in his maiden season, becoming the first player to win both awards in the same year.
Furthermore, Suzuki won ten consecutive Gold Glove Awards and was selected for ten All-Star Games during his time with the Mariners.
Ichiro Suzuki Family Life
Ichiro Suzuki family includes his parents Nobuyuki Suzuki and Yoshie Suzuki. He also has a big brother named Kazuyasu Suzuki.
Besides, he was raised in the small town of Toyoyama in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. His dad, Nobuyuki, a former baseball coach, taught him with the fundamentals of the game from an early age.
By seven, Ichiro joined a junior baseball team in his locality and began honing his skills under the guidance of his father.
Nobuyuki was resolute in ensuring that his son did not deviate from his goals, which led him to enforce strict standards on Ichiro and offer little praise for his performances.
During Ichiro's early career, his father, Nobuyuki, looked after his finances, but their relationship crumbled into pieces after a series of financial serendipity.
Ichiro's wife, Yumiko Fukushima, has since managed his finances. The former MLB star tied the knot with Yumiko on December 3rd, 1999, in a Santa Monica, California sanctuary.
She is a former on-air announcer who worked for a Japanese broadcasting company TBS TV.
