Ichiro Suzuki joins Mariners legends with No. 51 retirement - ESPN

SEATTLE — The Mariners retired the iconic No. 51 on Saturday, honoring Ichiro Suzuki in a pregame ceremony at T-Mobile Park before facing the Tampa Bay Rays.

«What's up, Seattle!» Suzuki screamed. «I'm so grateful to be here today, to receive this highest honor.»

The recent Hall of Fame inductee becomes just the third Mariners player to have his number retired by the franchise, joining legends Ken Griffey Jr. (No. 24) and Edgar Martinez (No. 11).

«Congratulations on being inducted into the Hall of Fame and having your number retired,» Griffey said in a video tribute. «It's about damn time. I mean, what took you so long? I've been there for five years.»

Suzuki made history as the first Japanese-born player inducted into the Hall of Fame, earning a near-unanimous 99.7% of the vote from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

After spending eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, Suzuki made his major league debut at the age of 27. In his rookie season in 2001, he captured both the American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards, becoming just the second player ever to do so in the same season, joining Fred Lynn.

Over a 19-year MLB career, Suzuki was a 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, two-time AL batting champion, and three-time Silver Slugger. He set the single-season hits record with 262 in 2004, which still stands today. Across NPB and MLB, he amassed 4,367 hits, including 3,089 in MLB.

Before Suzuki's arrival, Hall of Famer Randy Johnson also donned No. 51 for nine seasons in Seattle.

Johnson threw the franchise's first no-hitter in 1990 and won the Mariners' first Cy Young Award in 1995. After departing Seattle in 1998, The Big Unit added four more Cy Youngs and a World