Ichiro Suzuki Retires After Final Game at the Tokyo Dome

On March 21, 2019, Ichiro Suzuki played his final professional baseball game as the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 in extra innings at the Tokyo Dome. After going 0-for-4 in his last game, the 45-year-old right fielder announced his retirement at a press conference that stretched past midnight in Tokyo.

Ichiro had come home to say goodbye. He began his career with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League in 1992 and spent nine seasons there before crossing the Pacific to join the Mariners in 2001. His departure was emotional and carefully staged. In the bottom of the eighth inning, manager Scott Servais sent Ichiro out to right field, then pulled the rest of the defensive players off the diamond, leaving Ichiro alone in his position for a moment before he walked off to a standing ovation. Teammates embraced him one by one along the baseline.

His combined professional record across Japan and the United States included 4,367 hits, more than any player in the history of top-level professional baseball. In MLB alone, he collected 3,089 hits, 509 stolen bases, and 10 consecutive Gold Glove Awards. His 2001 rookie season produced a .350 batting average, 242 hits, and both the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. In 2004, he broke George Sisler's 84-year-old single-season hit record with 262.

"I have achieved so many things in baseball, but none of it would have happened without the fans," Ichiro said after the game. The Tokyo Dome crowd, many of whom had watched his entire career, stayed until the early morning hours to see him off.