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Ichiro Suzuki, one of the greatest players in Seattle Mariners history, was honored with a bronze statue outside the team’s stadium this week.
But Friday’s revelation was sideways, with some fans suggesting the Mariners struck out. Moments after the curtain fell to reveal the massive statue modeled after Suzuki’s signature batting stance, the bat the Baseball Hall of Famer was holding broke and tilted backwards.
The bat, initially upright, appeared to catch on the curtain and snapped when it was pulled back to reveal it.
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The Ichiro Suzuki statue’s bat broke during the unveiling ceremony before the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on April 10, 2026. (Jack Compton/Getty Images)
Despite the setback, Suzuki and Mariners teammate Ken Griffey Jr. seemed to laugh. The Mariners quickly seized the moment and responded with humor.
Ichiro Suzuki, Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. laugh after the Ichiro Suzuki statue’s bat broke during its unveiling before the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, on April 10, 2026. (Jack Compton/Getty Images)
After handing out replica statues to the first 40,000 fans who passed through the turnstiles on Friday, the Mariners posted an X-ray of the toss, now featuring a broken bat.
{insert Mariners tweet here: https://x.com/Mariners/status/2042690565746376905}
MLB announced in January 2025 that Suzuki would receive a statue honoring his famous batting stance.
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In July of last year, he became the fourth player whose number was retired by the Mariners and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was also honored in the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2022.
Suzuki is just the fourth player in Mariners history to have his number retired and the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Mariners Hall of Fame since 2022.
Ichiro Suzuki answers questions from the media after the unveiling of his statue before the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on April 10, 2026. (Jack Compton/Getty Images)
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He was named American League MVP in 2001 and is a ten-time All-Star. Suzuki made his MLB debut with the Mariners in 2001 before stints with the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins, then closed out his career in Seattle for a second season with the team.
