Ichiro Suzuki Statue Unveiling Goes Awry

Well, things didn’t quite turn out as expected.

The Mariners unveiled a statue of Ichiro Suzuki on Friday afternoon, and it soon became evident that something was amiss.

Ichiro’s bat was damaged.

The Hall of Famer’s arm was posed as if gripping the bat’s base, but the barrel was distorted at nearly a 90-degree angle.

Despite the mishap, Ichiro took it in stride, joking about his former Yankees teammate, Mariano Rivera, and his infamous bat-folding pitch. “I didn’t think Mariano would come out here and break his bat,” he quipped.

The Mariners have started efforts to fix the statue’s bat, noting the situation lightly on social media.

“Breaking news: We have updated tonight’s Ichiro replica statue giveaway,” they said, sharing a humorous photo of the statue with the broken bat.

Ichiro was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, receiving 393 out of 394 votes, but he never hesitated to tease the one voter who left him off the ballot despite his impressive career. “3,000 hits in a season, or 262 hits, is an achievement recognized by most. All but one of you. By the way, the offer for that writer to have dinner at my house has now ended,” he remarked while addressing the Cooperstown audience.

At a pre-game ceremony in August 2025, his jersey number 51 was retired, making him the fourth player in MLB history to receive this honor, following Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Jackie Robinson.

Ichiro’s statue is the fourth bronze figure at T-Mobile Park, joining those of broadcasters Dave Niehaus, Griffey, and Martinez.

The 52-year-old remains actively engaged with Seattle, occasionally training with the team while in uniform.