Mariners manager wants to see Ichiro in Home Run Derby

This year's Home Run Derby field could be quite thin. Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, and defending champion Aaron Judge have already said they're out, and Bryce Harper, who'd have home-field advantage this year, is said to be on the fence.

So, if there are spots to be filled, how about giving one to an old star? Someone whose mere presence would draw eyeballs to the derby, such as Seattle Mariners coach/inactive outfielder/legend Ichiro Suzuki.

The 45-year-old future Hall of Famer is no longer on Seattle's active roster, but he continues to travel with the team as a coach and takes batting practice every day. Watching him swing in the cage prompted manager Scott Servais to make an impassioned plea for Ichiro to hit in the derby during an interview with MLB Network Radio on Wednesday.

"I think Ichiro would be a great addition at the home run-hitting contest at the All-Star Game, because he takes BP every day and he is launching balls - it is really fun to watch," Servais said. "He comes out every day, he takes his BP very seriously. Everybody remembers when Ichiro was on top of his game he was slapping the ball all over the place, but he has power.

"We came out for early BP yesterday and he got on the board, he threw (for) about 20-25 minutes to our guys, and then when the regular BP started he got in (the batter's box) and he started launching balls."

Servais suggested fans use the hashtag #IchiForDC to get Ichiro in via a write-in vote.

Ichiro only hit 117 homers during his major-league career, yet talk of him taking part in a home run-hitting contest is nothing new. In 2016, all-time home-run king Barry Bonds, who was then serving as Ichiro's hitting coach with the Miami Marlins, told FOX Sports that winning the derby would be "easy" for the Japanese star.

But is there any chance Servais' wish will come true?

"I didn't know the skipper told jokes, but I guess he does," Ichiro told David Waldstein of the New York Times when informed of his manager's remarks. "That's the funniest thing he's said in the first half of the year."

Ichiro added that he'd consider pitching for a derby contestant if someone asked him to do so, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com.