Pitchers and catchers officially reported to Seattle Mariners Spring Training on Wednesday, but other players found themselves at the team complex in Arizona as well.
Outfielder Julio Rodríguez was one of those players that made it down early. It didn't take long for the franchise centerpiece to go viral, either, considering who else was there with him.
Ichiro Suzuki – Seattle's all-time leader in hits, batting average and stolen bases – was in Peoria playing catch with Rodríguez on Wednesday.
The Mariners posted a mic'd up clip of the pair chatting the next day, and Rodríguez wound up spilling his potential retirement plans with Suzuki.
"Once I'm done and I cannot play anymore, then I retire, then I will come hang out with you in Japan," Rodríguez told Suzuki, before the two fist-bumped.
Of course, the 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic is far away from retiring. He has just two major league seasons under his belt, and he is under contract for another six-to-11 years.
Rodríguez won AL Rookie of the Year in 2022, also finishing seventh in AL MVP voting. In 2023, Rodríguez finished fourth in AL MVP voting, making his second All-Star appearance and earning his second Silver Slugger in the process.
Through two campaigns, Rodríguez has recorded 60 home runs, 62 stolen bases, 178 RBI and an 11.5 WAR. He is a .279 hitter for his career with an .834 OPS.
It would take quite a few more of those kind of seasons for Rodríguez to reach the heights Ichiro did during his time in Seattle. The outfielder finished his MLB career with 3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 509 stolen bases, 780 RBI, a .311 batting average, a 60.0 WAR, 10 All-Star appearances, 10 Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, two batting titles, a Rookie of the Year and an MVP.
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