Skip to content

Report: Mariners sign Ichiro to minor-league deal

Icon Sportswire / Getty

The Seattle Mariners have agreed to a minor-league deal with outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports.

The 45-year-old will earn $750,000 if he makes Seattle's major-league roster.

Ichiro began last season as a player with the Mariners, but moved into a special assistant role with the team after suiting up for just 15 games and slashing .205/.255/.205. Seattle later announced its intention to let the veteran play in its March 20-21 series in Japan - where Suzuki starred before joining MLB - against the Oakland Athletics.

"Ichi will be in spring training with us, and we're going to give him an opportunity as both a coaching presence and a player presence," Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said in October, according to MLB.com's Greg Johns.

"We're still a long way off from Opening Day next year, but you will see Ichiro taking at-bats in Peoria, and we'll assess where we are at that time. But don't be surprised if you see him running around out there when we get to Tokyo next year early in the season."

The Mariners are allowed to carry 28 players for the season-opening event in Japan, so Ichiro's deal shouldn't affect the rest of the roster.

"I would stop short of guaranteeing it, because we have to make sure he's healthy. But he'll be on our roster," Dipoto added in October. "We feel strongly that it's the right thing to do for our franchise and the right thing to do for the NPB (Japan baseball league) and believe it's the right thing to do for Ichiro. What happens thereafter remains to be seen."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox