Ichiro Suzuki is on a quest for 3,000 hits in Major League Baseball. Despite going 0-for-1 for the Miami Marlins on Saturday night (August 8), Ichiro is now on a pace to reach that number early in the 2016 MLB season. Ichiro served as a late-inning replacement in right field, but he couldn’t get a hit in his only at-bat against the Atlanta Braves.
In his first season with the Miami Marlins, Ichiro Suzuki has gone 64-for-258 at the plate. That works out to a.248 batting average for the 41-year-old outfielder. It’s not closer to what he was able to do with the Seattle Mariners when he first came over from Japan, but he has still shown the ability to get on base. Ichiro wasn’t even supposed to play that many games this season, but injuries to other Marlins outfielders have forced it to happen.
His other numbers in 2015 haven’t been that great either, but he provides depth in the outfield. Ichiro has played all three outfield positions this year, making it the fourth consecutive season he has done that. Though the season is winding down, fans and baseball analysts have already started discussing whether he will stick around for the 2016 MLB season to see if he can finally reach that rare hitting plateau.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr , the Seattle Mariners have been linked to Ichiro Suzuki as a way to help him reach 3,000 hits next year. The Mariners have continued to struggle, but bringing on Ichiro might be a step in the wrong direction when it comes to pleasing the fans. While it would be great to see him get that 3,000th hit at Safeco Field, the front office in Seattle needs to be more worried about adding big-name players that can drive in runs. Ichiro doesn’t really fit that definition.
Through 2,309 career games in Major League Baseball, Ichiro now has 2,908 career hits. He is just 92 hits away from that magical number, but his pace requires at least one more season. Can he find a team that is willing to give him that shot and enough playing time to accomplish the feat in 2016? Or will Ichiro Suzuki miss adding 3,000 hits to a career that will certainly wind up in Cooperstown. A.315 career average, 496 stolen bases, 10 Gold Gloves, three Silver Slugger Awards, an MVP, a Rookie of the Year, and 10 All-Star teams should be enough on its own to get him into the Hall of Fame.
[Image Source: Scott Cunningham/Getty Images]