Watch Ichiro take the mound for the Marlins and finally fulfill his dream of pitching in an MLB game

Ichiro makes first career pitching appearance

By Mike Bertha

October 4, 2015

Is there anything that Ichiro Suzuki can't do? Since bringing his talents to MLB in 2001, Ichiro has made a name for himself running (498 career steals), fielding (10 Gold Glove Awards), throwing (116 outfield assists) and hitting (2,935 hits).

Apparently he could have been pitching that whole time, too. In early 2014 -- when Ichiro was still with the Yankees -- the longtime outfielder told the New York Times that he was more than ready to pitch if his team needed him. In fact, throwing in an MLB game was one of his career goals:

"I would be happy to help if they need me," he said, his eyes brightening at the prospect of it. Suzuki pitched to one batter in the 1996 Japan All-Star Game, and with his free-and-easy delivery, he induced a ground ball for an out from a pitcher. Suzuki has two strong pitches. "Fastball and slider," he said with pride. "But like all Japanese pitchers, the splitter is my bread and butter."

Well, Ichiro finally got his shot when the Marlins called upon their veteran outfielder for the eighth inning of Game 162 against the Phillies and Ichiro answered, hitting 88 mph on the gun and mixing in some nasty breaking stuff. He surrendered just one run on two hits in his first career MLB pitching appearance.

IchiroCurveGIF

Rookie outfielder Odubel Herrera led off the frame with a double to right field. Herrera later scored on a Darnell Sweeney double, but Ichiro's inning was otherwise clean as he got Cameron Rupp to fly out, induced a groundout from Freddy Galvis and retired Aaron Altherr on a fly ball to end the inning.

All in all, not bad for his first time out. Ichiro agrees, more or less:

In case that's not enough to satisfy your thirst for Ichiro's pitching prowess, peep his appearance from that 1996 Japanese All-Star Game (against Hideki Matsui, no less):