Ichiro’s bat breaks during statue unveiling at T-Mobile Park

During the unveiling of Ichiro Suzuki’s statue at T-Mobile Park on Friday, a piece of the statue was damaged as the tarp was pulled off.

As Ichiro stood in his iconic pre-pitch pose, the section of the statue where he is holding a bat upright in his right hand was cracked at the handle.

“As the draping was removed, a part of it was snagged on the bat. We have made a temporary fix, and we will have a permanent repair shortly,” said Adam Gresch, Senior Manager of Communications with the Seattle Mariners.

Bat handle cracks as tarp removed, quick fix returns statue to iconic pose

Although a quick fix was made to return the statue to its rightful place, longtime Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs, former outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., and Ichiro couldn’t hold back their laughter as it was unveiled to the public for the first time.

In light of the unfortunate situation, the Mariners poked fun at the incident with an updated replica statue, as 40,000 damage-free collectibles are set to be handed out to fans Friday night as the club prepares to face off against the Houston Astros.

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

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 10, 2026

The Mariners first announced in August 2025 that Ichiro would be honored with a statue outside of T-Mobile Park, the fourth Mariner to receive such recognition after Dave Niehaus, Griffey Jr., and Edgar Martinez.

Ichiro’s statue is the latest among a long list of honors the all-star outfielder has received as of late, including the club retiring his No. 51 in a pregame ceremony in August 2025. Ichiro joined three other players in having their numbers retired in the park alongside Griffey Jr., Martinez, and Jackie Robinson, whose number has been retired league-wide since 1997.

Ichiro was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2025, joining Griffey Jr. and Martinez as the third Mariner to be featured in Cooperstown.

Ichiro played with the Seattle Mariners for 14 seasons, collecting numerous accolades, including American League MVP and Rookie of the Year in his first year with the club at the age of 27, along with being a 10-time All-Star, winning 10 gold gloves, and three silver sluggers.

Since he retired in 2019, Ichiro has remained with the Mariners organization as a special assistant to the chairman, working alongside Mariners players and staff.

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