Baseball icon Ichiro Suzuki recently shared his thoughts on his near-unanimous Hall of Fame induction, expressing a desire to connect with the lone voter who prevented him from achieving this historic milestone. During a press conference, Suzuki conveyed his interest in having a friendly conversation with the individual, even extending an invitation to his home for a drink.
This near-miss places Suzuki just shy of joining Mariano Rivera as the only unanimous inductees into baseball's Hall of Fame. The news of the single dissenting vote sparked considerable discussion and debate among fans and sports commentators alike.
Ichiro Suzuki observes from the dugout before throwing the ceremonial first pitch at T-Mobile Park. (Joe Nicholson/USA Today Sports)
Ichiro Suzuki addresses the audience during his induction into the Mariners Hall of Fame at T-Mobile Park. (Steven Bisig/USA Today Sports)
Suzuki's induction marks a significant achievement as the first Japanese-born player to receive this honor. His baseball journey began in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league, where he amassed an impressive 1,278 hits. Transitioning to Major League Baseball at the age of 27, Suzuki continued to excel, accumulating 3,089 hits during his time with the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Miami Marlins. This combined total of 4,367 hits surpasses Pete Rose's MLB record of 4,256.
Ichiro Suzuki at T-Mobile Park in April 2023. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
In his inaugural MLB season, Suzuki achieved the remarkable feat of winning both the AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP awards, a distinction shared only with Fred Lynn (1975). Throughout his career, Suzuki earned numerous accolades, including two AL batting titles, ten All-Star selections, and ten Gold Glove awards. He also set a single-season record with 262 hits in 2004.
Joining Suzuki in the 2025 Hall of Fame class are CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
