Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) speaks during a press conference after the game against the Oakland Athletics at Tokyo Dome in 2019. Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Trio of Seattle Mariners Legends to Be in Cooperstown For Ichiro's Hall of Fame Induction

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 7:15 PM ET

Seattle Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 27, and a prominent group of Mariners legends will be there in Cooperstown with him.

The Hall of Fame announced on Friday that Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Randy Johnson will all be present at the ceremony. Though Johnson is in the Hall of Fame as a member of the Diamondbacks, his connection to the Mariners is very real after he spent 10 years in Seattle. He will have his No. 51 retired by the team in 2026, following Ichiro having his No. 51 retired this August.

Mariners story of interest: The Baseball Hall of Fame announces that Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. are scheduled to be in Cooperstown on July 27 for Ichiro's induction, meaning Edgar won't be traveling with the team to the Angels game on that Sunday.

Doesn't always travel.
— Brady Farkas (@RefuseToLosePod) July 18, 2025

It should be noted that Martinez's presence at the ceremony means that he will not be in attendance when the Mariners play the Los Angeles Angels that day. Martinez is the organization's Director of Hitting, and though he doesn't travel to every single away game, he has made appearances on road trips this season. The M's will attempt to beat their division rivals without him.

Ichiro will join Martinez and Griffey as the only players to represent the Mariners on their Hall of Fame plaques.

Ichiro was nearly a unanimous entry into the Hall of Fame, appearing on all but one ballot when they were revealed in January. He was named the Rookie of the Year in the American League in 2001 and earned the MVP that award the same year. The M's won 116 games that season - the most in American League history. They lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

Ichiro was a professional for 28 seasons between his time in Japan and the United States. He played for the Mariners, Yankees and Miami Marlins, earning more than 4,300 combined professional hits. He was a 10-time All-Star and a 10-time Gold Glover. He also won two batting titles and three Silver Slugger Awards.

Ichiro is the the first Japanese player to make the Hall of Fame.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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