Seattle Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki ranks among pro baseball’s top players, and at 52 he just pitched a 127-pitch shutout with 17 strikeouts… against a Japanese girls’ high school team.
\n\nThe big shutout was part of Japan’s annual All-Star Game, meant to promote women’s baseball, and was played in the country’s iconic Tokyo Dome stadium, according to the Seattle Times.
\n\nIchiro became one of the first Japanese players to transition from Japanese baseball to American pro ball when the Mariners signed him in 2001. He was a 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025 after retiring from pro ball in 2019 at age 45.
\n\nThe All-Star Game in Tokyo took place on Sunday and was reportedly played before 25,000 fans and also featured New York Yankees All-Star outfielder Hideki Matsui.
\n\nThis is not the first time that Ichiro has participated in the women’s All-Star Game.
\n\nHe threw a 116-pitch shutout with nine strikeouts in 2024, and earned 17 strikeouts when facing the girls’ team in 2021.
\n\nIchiro explained that at 52, he hoped to see if he was still in playing condition, telling the media after the game, “I…
Original source: https://www.breitbart.com/sports/
