Ichiro Suzuki‘s career will continue for at least one more season, as the Miami Marlins agreed to a new deal with the veteran outfielder Tuesday.
The Marlins confirmed the deal, per Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, while Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald noted it’s a one-year deal worth $2 million.
The 41-year-old former American League MVP had an unusual 2015 season. He played in 153 games, his most since 2012, but he had the worst offensive season of his career with a .229/.282/.279 slash line.
Ichiro does remain a strong defensive presence in right field, as FanGraphs credited him with saving nine runs.
Various injuries to Miami outfielders, most notably Giancarlo Stanton, provided the opportunity for Ichiro to play as often as he did.
There has never been any indication Ichiro wanted to bring his career to a close. David Waldstein of the New York Times noted the 10-time All-Star jokingly said last season he plans to play 10 more years.
The Marlins also saw the versatility Ichiro brings to the table. He was able to pitch in an MLB game for the first time in the season finale against the Philadelphia Phillies, firing a slider that would make a lot of pitchers jealous, per MLB Social:
All kidding aside, there is one big milestone Ichiro can shoot for in his return to Miami. He needs 44 more hits to pass Pete Rose (4,256) on the career hit list—Ichiro had 1,278 hits in Japan—and 65 to reach the 3,000-hit mark as a Major League Baseball player.
The Marlins should start 2016 with a full complement of starting outfielders, led by Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna, so Ichiro’s playing time out of the gate could be limited.
However, just as an opportunity arose this year, Ichiro understands none of Miami’s starting outfielders have a long track record of staying healthy. He’s going to have plenty of chances to play in 2016 to reach his milestones while hoping to get one more shot at the postseason.
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