While the Mariners defeated the Athletics 5-4 in extra innings on Thursday, the entire baseball universe took an L. We no longer have the privilege of enjoying one the sport’s most unique players. Ichiro Suzuki, the all-time hit king, retired in the middle of the eighth inning, surrounded by a sold-out crowd of his countrymen in Japan’s Tokyo Dome.
Rumors of his decision had been spreading throughout the game before the PA announcer made it official:
Ichiro shared a special moment with Dee Gordon, his teammate for the past four-plus seasons (2015-2017 with Marlins, 2018-2019 with Mariners).