Ichiro Suzuki wants to ‘have a drink’ with HOF voter who didn’t vote for him

Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki fell one vote short of joining Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and becoming the second unanimous Hall of Famer to be inducted into Cooperstown on Tuesday afternoon.

Rivera got all of his possible 425 votes in 2019. Suzuki received 393 of the max 394 votes.

Suzuki will become the first player from Japan in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Suzuki was always a loveable character and a care-free spirit throughout his 19-year MLB career. His reaction to the one voter, who still remains anonymous at the time this was written, embodies Suzuki’s personality quite well.

Who can forget when Bob Costas asked Suzuki what his favorite American expression was?

“August in Kansas City, it’s hotter than two rats in a (expletive) wool sock,” Suzuki said.

Ichiro Suzuki opens up the press conference with some opening remarks on being elected into the @baseballhall.

📺 MLB Network pic.twitter.com/ZbCHQs2JVV

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 23, 2025

Suzuki’s joking nature made it into his Baseball Hall of Fame announcement press conference on Tuesday.

“Hello, I’ve been coming to the Hall of Fame as a player seven times, and this is my eighth time here in the Hall of Fame, and what an honor it is for me to be here as a Hall of Famer,” Suzuki said via his interpreter. “This is a very special moment. I was able to receive many votes from the writers and grateful for them. But there’s one writer that I wasn’t able to get a vote from. I would like to invite him over to my house and we’ll have a drink together … and we’ll have a good chat. Very grateful to be here and thank you.”

The writer might want to bring a friend in case things get sour a little too fast. They’d also probably want to see what Suzuki poured into that glass first (partially joking). Just kidding Ichiro, everyone loves you! Except that one voter of course.

Suzuki joins Derek Jeter as the second player ever to miss a unanimous Hall of Fame induction by one vote. Jeter had 396 of the possible 397 votes in 2020.

Social media reaction to Ichiro Suzuki missing unanimous induction because of one voter

The one voter that didn’t have Ichiro on his ballot pic.twitter.com/GegekIdHtN

— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) January 21, 2025

Baseball Twitter trying to find the one HOF voter who didn't vote for Ichiro: pic.twitter.com/Jlv8Ar53eD

— David Gasper (@dgasper24) January 21, 2025

Ichiro missed unanimity by 1 vote. Please step forward, you numbskull

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 21, 2025

Ichiro Suzuki career accolades and numbers

10X All-Star

10X Gold Glove winner

2001 AL Rookie of the Year

3X Silver Slugger Award winner

2X AL Batting champion

Most hits in a single season: 262 (2004)

.311 batting average

.757 OPS

3,089 hits

117 home runs

780 RBIs

509 stolen bases

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