Ichiro becomes the first Japanese-born player headed to Cooperstown and fell just one ballot shy of being a unanimous selection with 99.7 percent of the vote. The Mariners icon wrapped up a legendary 19-year career with 3,089 hits, which doesn’t include his additional 1,278 hits overseas in Japan prior to his stateside arrival. The 2001 AL MVP Award winner broke George Sisler’s single-season record with a staggering 262 hits during a transcendent 2004 campaign and made 10 consecutive All-Star Game appearances from 2001-2010. A six-time All-Star and 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner, Sabathia split his 19-year career between the Guardians and Yankees, with a memorable half-season stint for the Brewers sandwiched in the middle back in 2008 when he tossed an astounding seven complete games during a 17-start span. The generational southpaw, who finished with 251 wins in addition to a lifetime 3.74 ERA across 560 career starts, appeared on 86.8 percent of ballots to easily clear the 75 percent threshold. Among the elite closers of his generation and a strikeout machine, Wagner finally gets the long-awaited call for enshrinement — appearing on 82.5 percent of ballots — during his 10th and final year of eligibility after falling just short (73.8 percent) last year. The trio will join the late Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who were selected for enshrinement back in December by the Classic Baseball Era Committee, this summer in Cooperstown.

Suzuki ended his career with a pair of starts in his home country of Japan and received a standing ovation when he checked out of Thursday's game in the bottom of the eighth inning. The 45-year-old went 0-for-5 with a walk in his two games in Tokyo, but he'll retire with 3,089 career hits over his 19-year MLB career, placing him 23rd in league history. Including his total from his nine-year career in Japan prior to joining the Mariners in 2001, Suzuki recorded 4,367 hits as a professional.

With the Mariners and Athletics opening the MLB season in Suzuki's home country of Japan, the 45-year-old was rewarded with the start in right field. Batting out of the No. 9 spot, Suzuki popped out in his first plate appearance and a drew a walk in his second before substituting out of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Even if he doesn't start Thursday, he'll likely get at least one at-bat, which could very well represent his last action in the majors. The Mariners haven't indicated whether they plan on carrying Suzuki on the roster once the team resumes regular-season play in North America next week.

As expected, Suzuki will join the Mariners ahead of the team's season-opening series against the Athletics in Tokyo. The veteran outfielder will be included in the starting lineup for Seattle's regular-season opener Wednesday, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him start Thursday's game as well. That said, Suzuki's future with the Mariners beyond the club's two-game series in his native Japan remains murky.