Because Ichiro thrived in defiance of his style and stature, more conventional hitters making the leap -- hitters like Hideki Matsui, Seiya Suzuki, and, yes, Ohtani -- did so with fewer barriers and ...

Because Ichiro thrived in defiance of his style and stature, more conventional hitters making the leap -- hitters like Hideki Matsui, Seiya Suzuki, and, yes, Ohtani -- did so with fewer barriers and ...

Ichiro Suzuki is all about baseball, but he's much more than that in Japan. Back home, he's a wellspring of national pride.

Ichiro Suzuki is all about baseball, but he’s much more than that in Japan. Back home, he’s a wellspring of national pride, much like Shohei Ohtani now. His triumphs across the Pacific buoyed the ...

Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected to the ... His success helped open the door for fellow Japanese stars like Shohei Ohtani and Hideki Matsui to make the jump to the majors.