Ichiro Suzuki's Statue Unveiling Mishap

Ichiro statue Mishap

The unveiling of Ichiro Suzuki's statue at T-Mobile Park took an unexpected turn when the bat broke during the ceremony. The Japanese baseball legend laughed it off, joking that Mariano Rivera was behind the mishap.

“I didn't think Mariano would come out here and break the bat...”

A statue honoring Ichiro Suzuki broke during its unveiling at a Mariners game. The bronze tribute cracked as it was being uncovered by Ken Griffey Jr and Edgar Martinez.

Ichiro was present at the ceremony, witnessing the unexpected mishap. The statue is a tribute to his legendary career with the Mariners.

“I did not do that,” Ken Griffey Jr joked, as he and Edgar Martinez uncovered the statue of Ichiro in his iconic batting stance.

Ichiro, the first Japanese-born Hall of Famer, took the broken statue in stride, laughing as Ken Griffey Jr covered his eyes.

Ichiro joked that Mariano Rivera was behind the broken bat, playfully pinning the blame on the Yankees' pitching legend.

Ichiro, the first Japanese-born Hall of Famer, took the broken statue in stride, laughing as Ken Griffey Jr covered his eyes.

“I didn't think Mariano would come out here and break the bat,” Ichiro joked, playfully blaming the Yankees legend. Someone later fixed the statue. 

Ichiro's Legendary Career

Ichiro retired in 2019 after a stellar 20-year MLB career as an outfielder, known for his incredible bat control and ball placement.

Breaking: We’ve updated tonight’s Ichiro Replica Statue giveaway. pic.twitter.com/EcFfkaAUd6

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 10, 2026

A 10-time MLB All-Star, Ichiro set a record with 262 hits in a single season. He was AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001, leading the league in batting and stolen bases. Ichiro finished with 3,089 hits, a .311 batting average, 117 home runs, 780 RBIs, and 509 stolen bases.