Trying to bolster their bench for the playoffs last season, the Yankees surprisingly traded for Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.
Not much was expected. His best days had seemingly passed. Yet in a 67-game stint, Suzuki hit .322 with five home runs and became one of the Yankees’ most reliable players down the stretch. On Wednesday, last season’s surprising addition became an important part of the Yankees’ present and future when Suzuki officially agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal.
Suzuki, 39, will most likely become part of a platoon in right field as the Yankees look to replace the free agent Nick Swisher, who was expected to sign elsewhere.
“The Yankees are the kind of team that I always envisioned being a part of,” Suzuki said. “Everyone in the world of competition has a strong desire to win, but the Yankees also have an atmosphere where losing is not an option. These two observations may sound similar, but I believe it is a rarity to find both coexisting in the same organization.”
The Yankees do not expect Suzuki to be the same player who surpassed 200 hits in 10 consecutive seasons, and perhaps not even the same player he was last season. But as part of a platoon and as someone who can play all three outfield positions, he adds value. Of Suzuki’s 56 starts for the Yankees, 26 were in left field, 24 were in right field, and 5 were in center.
“I believe the Yankees organization appreciates that there is a difference between a 39-year-old who has played relying only on talent and a 39-year-old who has prepared, practiced and thought thoroughly through many experiences for their craft,” Suzuki said. “I am very thankful, and I will do my best to deliver on their expectations.”
Suzuki is 394 hits away from 3,000 hits in American baseball; he also accumulated 1,278 hits in Japan. Realistically, Suzuki would need more than two seasons to get there. Last season, Suzuki had 178 hits between playing for the Mariners and the Yankees. In 2011, Suzuki had 184 hits.
Optimistically, Suzuki, a career .322 hitter with a .784 on-base plus slugging percentage, could get 150 hits in each of the next two seasons, which would leave him less than 100 short of the mark. Would the Yankees, who always seem keen on having players reach milestones in pinstripes, be willing to bring back Suzuki in 2015?
The Yankees continue to search for Suzuki’s platoon partner for 2013. Among the possibilities is the former Met Scott Hairston, although the chances of his joining the team are limited if he is seeking a two-year contract. The Yankees are hindered by trying to stay under the $189 million luxury tax threshold in 2014. But for Suzuki, the Yankees were willing to make an exception.
