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Shohei Ohtani snatches Ichiro Suzuki record vs. Rangers

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated Apr 11, 2026 9:59 AM ET

Shohei Ohtani continues to carry the Japanese torch with pride since Ichiro Suzuki left MLB for good.

The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger hit a seemingly inconsequential single in the bottom of the 5th inning of Friday’s contest against the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. The hit came with a man on first and one out, but failed to result in any additional runs for the home team.

What Ohtani did achieve was a new record for a Japanese-born MLB player. His hit got him on base for the 44th consecutive game, dating back to last season. The hit broke a tie with Suzuki for the longest on-base streak by a player hailing from Japan.

Shohei Ohtani extends his on-base streak to 44 games, passing Ichiro Suzuki for the longest streak by a Japanese-born player in MLB history! pic.twitter.com/Axy8zv9sbD
— MLB (@MLB) April 11, 2026

Suzuki went on his record-setting 43-game streak with the Seattle Mariners back in 2009, which will likely sit in second place for quite some time.

Shohei also wrestled away a different record from Ichiro in 2024, when Ohtani’s 59 stolen bases became the most ever by a Japanese-born player. Ohtani surpassed Suzuki’s 56 stolen bases tallied in 2001.

Friday wasn’t a great day for Suzuki’s legacy. Aside from losing a record that few would have thought would ever be matched, he also had his Mariners statue break as it was being unveiled.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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