Seiya Suzuki is one of the most sought-after outfielders in the MLB free agency market this year. The 27-year-old Japanese star has been posted by his NPB team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, and is expected to sign a lucrative deal with an MLB team soon. But many fans are wondering: is Seiya Suzuki related to Ichiro Suzuki, the legendary Japanese outfielder who played for 19 seasons in the MLB and amassed over 3000 hits?
The answer is no. Seiya Suzuki and Ichiro Suzuki are not related by blood or by marriage. They just happen to share a common surname, which is very popular in Japan. According to Wikipedia, Suzuki is the second most common Japanese surname, with over 1.8 million people bearing it as of 2008.
Why Do They Wear the Same Number?
Another reason why some fans might think that Seiya Suzuki and Ichiro Suzuki are related is that they both wear the number 51 on their jerseys. However, this is also a coincidence, albeit a meaningful one.
Seiya Suzuki has said that he wears the number 51 as a tribute to Ichiro Suzuki, who was his idol growing up. He admired Ichiro’s style of play, his work ethic, and his success in both Japan and the US. He also wanted to follow in his footsteps and play in the MLB someday.
Ichiro Suzuki, on the other hand, wore the number 51 as a tribute to another Japanese baseball legend: Masanori Murakami. Murakami was the first Japanese player to play in the MLB, pitching for the San Francisco Giants in 1964 and 1965. He wore the number 51 during his brief stint in the US.
How Do They Compare as Players?
Seiya Suzuki and Ichiro Suzuki are both corner outfielders who can hit for average, power, and speed. They also have strong arms and good defensive skills. However, they have some differences in their approach and their strengths.
Seiya Suzuki is more of a power hitter than Ichiro Suzuki. He has hit at least 25 home runs in each of the past six seasons in the NPB, with a career-high of 32 in 2019. He also has a higher slugging percentage (.564) than Ichiro (.454) in their respective NPB careers.
Ichiro Suzuki is more of a contact hitter than Seiya Suzuki. He has a higher batting average (.353) than Seiya (.309) in their respective NPB careers. He also has more hits (1278) than Seiya (1003) in fewer games (951 vs. 1049). He also holds the MLB record for most hits in a single season (262) and most consecutive seasons with 200 or more hits (10).
Seiya Suzuki is more of a patient hitter than Ichiro Suzuki. He has drawn more walks (428) than Ichiro (333) in their respective NPB careers. He also has a higher on-base percentage (.413) than Ichiro (.421) in their respective NPB careers.
Ichiro Suzuki is more of a base stealer than Seiya Suzuki. He has stolen more bases (199) than Seiya (83) in their respective NPB careers. He also has a higher stolen base percentage (81%) than Seiya (73%) in their respective NPB careers.
Conclusion
Seiya Suzuki and Ichiro Suzuki are not related, but they have some similarities and differences as players. They both wear the number 51 as a homage to their predecessors, but they have different styles of hitting and running. They are both among the best outfielders to ever play in Japan, and they both have made or will make their mark in the MLB.
According to Sporting News, Seiya Suzuki is “the best player to come from Japan since Shohei Ohtani – and the best outfielder since Hideki Matsui debuted in 2003”. According to Bleacher Nation, he is “a righty bat, hits for power without alarming strikeout rates, takes a ton of walks, has good athleticism”. According to WTF Sports, he is “a five-tool player that can do it all”.
Whoever signs him will get a talented player who can make an immediate impact on their team. And whoever watches him will get to see another Suzuki shine on the big stage..
