Ichiro Suzuki's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Ichiro Suzuki.

Ichiro Suzuki, a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder, played 28 seasons across Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He starred with the Orix BlueWave and Seattle Mariners, also playing for the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. A two-time World Baseball Classic champion with Japan, Ichiro is celebrated as one of baseball's greatest contact and leadoff hitters, and a superb defensive outfielder. His career is marked by exceptional hitting ability and defensive prowess, solidifying his legacy as a baseball icon.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1900: Oldest Player to Start in Center Field

On June 25, 2017, Ichiro Suzuki (age 43) became the oldest player to start a game in center field since at least 1900, breaking a record previously held by Rickey Henderson.

1906: Matched Record

In 2001, the Mariners, matched the 1906 Chicago Cubs' Major League record of 116 wins.

1923: Babe Ruth Reached Base Record

In 2004, despite setting the single-season record for hits, Ichiro Suzuki's low walk total (49) resulted in him reaching base 315 times, falling short of Babe Ruth's major league record of 379 times reaching base in a season set in 1923.

1927: Rookie Record Broken

In 2001, Ichiro Suzuki accumulated a rookie-record 242 hits, breaking Lloyd Waner’s rookie record of 223 hits dating back to 1927

1930: Most hits by any MLB player since 1930

In 2001, Ichiro Suzuki achieved a rookie-record 242 hits, the most hits by any MLB player since 1930

1949: First Player to Lead League Since Jackie Robinson

In 2001, with a .350 batting average and 56 stolen bases, Ichiro Suzuki was the first player to lead his league in both categories since Jackie Robinson in 1949.

1994: Pacific League Record and First MVP Award

In 1994, Ichiro Suzuki achieved a .385 batting average, setting a Pacific League record and winning the first of seven consecutive batting titles. He also won his first of three straight Pacific League MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards. In this year, he began to use his given name, Ichiro, instead of his family name, Suzuki, on his uniform.

1994: Breakthrough Season and Record-Breaking Performance

In 1994, Ichiro Suzuki benefited from the arrival of a new manager and set a Japanese single-season record with 210 hits, becoming the first player ever to top 200 hits in a single season. He began to be known by just his first name, Ichiro.

1995: Led Blue Wave to Pacific League Pennant

In 1995, Ichiro Suzuki led the Orix Blue Wave to its first Pacific League pennant in 12 years. He also led the league with 80 RBI and 49 stolen bases, while his career-high 25 home runs were third in the league.

1996: Japan Series Victory and MLB Aspirations

In 1996, Ichiro Suzuki and the Orix Blue Wave defeated the Central League champion, Yomiuri Giants, in the Japan Series. After the season, playing in an exhibition series against a visiting team of Major League All-Stars kindled Suzuki's desire to play in the Major Leagues.

August 2001: Joined Pete Rose in Record

In 2004, after recording 50 hits in August 2001, Suzuki joined Pete Rose as the only players with four 50-hit months in a career.

2001: First Japanese-born position player in MLB

In 2001, Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese-born position player to be posted and signed to a Major League Baseball (MLB) club. He led the American League (AL) in batting average and stolen bases, earning him the titles of AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP.

2001: Rookie Season Success

In 2001, Ichiro Suzuki had a spectacular rookie season, accumulating a rookie-record 242 hits and leading the league in both batting average (.350) and stolen bases (56). His perennial Gold Glove fielding led Safeco's right field to be dubbed "Area 51".

2001: All-Star Selection

In 2001, Ichiro Suzuki was selected as an All-Star, beginning a streak of ten consecutive All-Star selections.

2001: Record-Breaking Four-Year Hit Total Begins

Starting in 2001, Ichiro Suzuki began a four-year stretch where he accumulated 924 hits, surpassing Bill Terry's record of 918 hits from 1929 to 1932, though Terry played in fewer games.

2003: Third Player to Begin Career with Three 200-Hit Seasons

In 2003, Ichiro Suzuki became just the third player in history to begin his career with three 200-hit seasons, garnering 212 hits. He was elected to his third All-Star game, leading in votes in both leagues.

2004: Continued Record-Breaking Performance

In 2004, Ichiro Suzuki continued his dominant performance, during one 56-game stretch, Suzuki batted over .450. Suzuki also batted over .400 against left-handed pitching in 2004.

2004: Record for Most Hits in a Season

In 2004, Ichiro Suzuki had his best offensive season and broke George Sisler's 84-year-old record for most hits (257) in a season.

2004: Limited Walks Despite High Hit Total

2004: Breaking George Sisler's Single Season Hit Record

In the 2004 season, Ichiro Suzuki broke George Sisler's single season hit record.

2005: MLB Career Performance and Milestone

In 2005, Ichiro Suzuki had his second-worst year in MLB, with 206 hits. However, he maintained a .300+ batting average, 100+ runs, 30+ steals, and 200+ hits for the fifth consecutive season, a record for a player's first five years. During the 2005 season, he also reached 1,000 career hits faster than any player in MLB history and hit a career-high 15 home runs.

March 2006: World Baseball Classic

In March 2006, Ichiro Suzuki played for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. His comments about wanting to decisively beat South Korea stirred controversy. Japan won the tournament, defeating Cuba in the final. Suzuki had twelve hits, including a home run, with seven runs and four stolen bases during the tournament.

2006: Statistical Achievements and Awards

In 2006, Ichiro Suzuki rebounded from a slow start to finish with a .322 average, leading the majors with 224 hits, and recording 110 runs and 45 stolen bases. He earned his sixth Gold Glove Award, sixth All-Star Game selection, and a Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding MLB right fielder. His 1,354 career U.S. hits topped Wade Boggs's record.

July 2007: All-Star Game MVP

On July 10, 2007, Ichiro Suzuki hit an inside-the-park home run in the MLB All-Star Game, the first in All-Star Game history. He went 3-for-3 and was named the Most Valuable Player in the American League's victory.

July 2007: 1,500th U.S. Hit

On July 29, 2007, Ichiro Suzuki collected his 1,500th U.S. hit, reaching the milestone as the third-fastest player in MLB history, behind Al Simmons and George Sisler.

2007: Surpasses Own Record with 930 Hits

From 2004 to 2007, Ichiro Suzuki recorded 930 hits, surpassing his own record for the most hits over a four-year span.

2007: All-Star Game MVP Award

In 2007, Ichiro Suzuki won the All-Star Game MVP Award for a three-hit performance that included the event's first-ever inside-the-park home run, marking a significant achievement in his career.

May 2008: Breaks Mariners Stealing Record

In May 2008, Ichiro Suzuki stole two bases, surpassing Julio Cruz's Seattle Mariners team record of 290 stolen bases, bringing his career total to 292.

July 2008: 3,000 Top-Level Professional Hits

On July 29, 2008, Ichiro Suzuki became the second-youngest player to amass 3,000 top-level professional hits (1,278 in Japan and 1,722 in the U.S.) after Ty Cobb. He also became the second Japanese professional to reach this milestone.

June 2009: Hitting Streak and Milestone

In June 2009, Ichiro Suzuki surpassed his own franchise record with a 27-game hitting streak. Suzuki went on to record 44 hits in June 2009, his 20th career month with 40 or more hits.

2009: Season Achievements and Award

In 2009, Ichiro Suzuki led the majors in hits with 225. He won his second Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding right fielder in MLB. In total, Suzuki had 2,030 hits in the 2000s, the most for all MLB players in that era.

2009: Injury and Record-Matching Home Run

In 2009, Ichiro Suzuki started the season on the disabled list due to a bleeding ulcer, possibly from the stress of playing in the World Baseball Classic. On April 15, 2009, in his debut after missing games, he hit a grand slam, matching Isao Harimoto's Japanese record for career hits.

June 2010: 1,000th Career MLB Run

On June 5, 2010, Ichiro Suzuki scored his 1,000th career MLB run against the Angels.

September 2010: 2,200th Hit

On September 1, 2010, Ichiro Suzuki collected his 2,200th hit against the Cleveland Indians.

2010: Tenth Consecutive All-Star Selection

In 2010, Ichiro Suzuki marked his tenth consecutive All-Star selection. His success opened doors for other Japanese players like Hideki Matsui, Kenji Johjima, So Taguchi, Kazuo Matsui, Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki to enter the Major Leagues. His career was closely followed in Japan.

2010: Tenth Consecutive Gold Glove Award

In 2010, Ichiro Suzuki secured his tenth consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Award, putting him on par with Ken Griffey Jr., Andruw Jones, and Al Kaline, while only trailing Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays in the number of awards won by major league outfielders. That same year, he also clinched his second consecutive and third overall Fielding Bible Award, acknowledging his defensive excellence in right field based on statistical data. He was the first right fielder in MLB history to win multiple Bible awards.

2010: Consecutive 200-Hit Seasons Record

On September 23, 2010, Ichiro Suzuki became the first MLB player to reach 200 hits for 10 consecutive seasons, tying Pete Rose for the most career seasons of 200+ hits. He finished the season with 214 hits, leading MLB, and played in all 162 games, his 3rd season doing so.

April 2011: Breaking Mariners' All-Time Hits Record

On April 2, 2011, Ichiro Suzuki surpassed Edgar Martínez to become the Mariners' all-time career hits leader, achieving his 2,248th hit during a game against the Oakland Athletics. This was a significant milestone in his career with the team.

June 2012: 2,500th MLB Hit

On June 19, 2012, Ichiro Suzuki recorded his 2,500th MLB hit with a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He reached this milestone in the fourth-fewest games in major league history.

August 2013: 4,000th Professional Career Hit

On August 21, 2013, Ichiro Suzuki achieved his 4,000th professional career hit with a single against R. A. Dickey of the Toronto Blue Jays. This made him the seventh player in professional baseball history to reach this milestone.

July 2014: 2,800th MLB Hit

On July 10, 2014, Ichiro Suzuki recorded his 2,800th MLB hit against Scott Atchison of the Cleveland Indians.

August 2014: Passing George Sisler on All-Time Hit List

On August 9, 2014, Ichiro Suzuki surpassed George Sisler on the all-time hit list with his 2,811th hit in a game against the Houston Astros.

April 2016: 500th Career MLB Stolen Base and Passing Frank Robinson

On April 29, 2016, Ichiro Suzuki stole his 500th career MLB base against the Milwaukee Brewers and moved ahead of Frank Robinson on the all-time MLB hit list with his 2,944th hit.

2016: 3,000th MLB Hit

In 2016, Ichiro Suzuki notched the 3,000th hit of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, becoming only the 30th player ever to reach that milestone. He continued to produce at a high level, showcasing the longevity of his career.

2017: All-Time Interleague Hits Leader

On June 14, 2017, Ichiro Suzuki became the all-time leader in interleague hits, surpassing Derek Jeter with his 365th interleague hit. He finished 2017 with 368 interleague hits.

June 2018: Adrian Beltre Surpasses Ichiro as Foreign Hits Leader

On June 13, 2018, Adrian Beltre surpassed Ichiro Suzuki as the all-time leader in MLB hits among foreign-born players.

2019: Record for Most Seasons Played

In 2019, Ichiro Suzuki's 28 seasons in top-tiered baseball leagues (19 in MLB and 9 in Japan's NPB) surpassed Cap Anson's record for most seasons played by a position player.

September 7, 2021: Miguel Cabrera Surpasses Interleague Hit Record

On September 7, 2021, Miguel Cabrera surpassed Ichiro Suzuki's interleague hit record.

August 2022: Induction into Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame

On August 27, 2022, Ichiro Suzuki was inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.

January 2025: Election to Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame

On January 16, 2025, Ichiro Suzuki was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He appeared on 323 of the 349 valid ballots, achieving 92.6% of the votes.

2025: Election to Baseball Hall of Fame

In 2025, Ichiro Suzuki was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He also was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame that same year.