New York Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki became the 49th player in major league history to collect 2,800 hits with a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth inning of Thursday's game in Cleveland.
While it's still 200 hits shy of the exclusive 3,000 club, the round-number milestone serves as yet another reminder of Suzuki's remarkable career.
The 40-year-old made his MLB debut at the age of 27 and already with 1,278 hits to his name from his career in Japan.
Suzuki, the 2001 MVP and Rookie of the Year, collected hit No. 2,800 in just 14 years. Only four players (Rod Carew, Lou Brock, Wade Boggs and Sam Crawford) managed 3,000 hits in less than two decades.
Here's a look at how Suzuki ranks among the all-time hits leaders after factoring in his total from Japan.
| RANK | PLAYER | HITS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pete Rose | 4,256 |
| 2 | Ty Cobb | 4,189 |
| 3 | Ichiro Suzuki | 4,078 |
| 4 | Hank Aaron | 3,771 |
| 5 | Stan Musial | 3,360 |
Suzuki's chances of reaching 3,000 hits will likely come down to playing time. His 136 hits last season were a career low and he's currently on pace to fall short of that figure this year.
However, the 10-time All-Star is enjoying a productive year at the plate in limited action this season. He's slashing .298/.351/.330 over 77 games this year, representing his highest on-base percentage since 2010.
