Watch Ichiro Suzuki collect 3,000th hit vs Colorado Rockies (Video)
By John Buhler
Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki becomes the 30th player in Major League Baseball history to achieve the incredible milestone of 3,000 career hits.
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When he came stateside back in 2001, Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki immediately became one of the best players in baseball. He won American League Rookie of the Year and American League MVP in his first season in the Major Leagues with the juggernaut 2001 Seattle Mariners.
The Japanese slap hitter over the last 16 years has gradually amassed Baseball Hall of Fame statistics. He’s a shoe-in at this point and will be second player enshrined to wear a Mariners cap after Ken Griffey, Jr. On Sunday afternoon versus the Colorado Rockies, Suzuki became the 30th man in Major League history to accumulate 3,000 career hits.
He did so by tripling off Rockies left-hander Chris Rusin in the top of the inning of the seventh inning. With the Marlins up 8-6 and with one out, Suzuki clobbered Rusin’s offering off the right field wall out of the reach of a leaping Gerardo Parra.
Suzuki is the first Japanese player to achieve this hitting milestone. The last player to achieve 3,000 career hits was Alex Rodriguez with the New York Yankees back on June 19th, 2015.
The last hitter to achieve enter the 3,000 Hit Club in the National League was Houston Astros second basemen and Baseball Hall of Famer Craig Biggio. Biggio connected on hit No. 3,000 on June 28th, 2007. Keep in mind that the Astros wouldn’t join the American League until 2013 under new ownership.
Suzuki has already ensured his Cooperstown enshrinement. Achieving 3,000 career hits makes him a no-doubt, first ballot Hall of Famer when he does decide to hang up the spikes in Major League Baseball.