Mariners trade Ichiro to Yankees, get two pitchers

Published: July 23, 2012 

SPORTS BBA-MARINERS-ATHLETICS 5 OX

The Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki warms up in the dugout prior to action against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, California, Friday, July 6, 2012.

ANDA CHU — OAKLAND TRIBUNE

Ichiro Suzuki is headed to a new team and, after all these years, maybe a shot at playing in the World Series.

The Seattle Mariners traded the All-Star outfielder to the New York Yankees for two minor-league prospects and cash considerations, the team announced Monday, July 23.

Seattle began a three-game series against the Yankees at 7:30 p.m. today at Safeco Field. Suzuki started in leftfield for the Yankees.

The Mariners received right-handed pitchers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar from the Yankees. Both will report to Class AAA Tacoma.

Suzuki asked the team several weeks ago to consider trading him, a statement from the Mariners said.

"Several weeks ago, Ichiro Suzuki, through his longtime agent, Tony Attanasio, approached Chuck Armstrong and me to ask that the Mariners consider trading him," Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln said in the news release. "Ichiro knows that the club is building for the future, and he felt that what was best for the team was to be traded to another club and give our younger players an opportunity to develop.

"Ichiro will be missed," Lincoln said. "He owns a long list of Major League Baseball and Mariners club records, has earned many prestigious awards, and in my opinion, he will someday be a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame."

At a news conference Monday afternoon, Suzuki called his past 11 years with the Mariners.

"When I think about taking off the Mariners uniform, I was overcome with sadness," he said through a translator. "I will be moving on with pride on acount of the last 11½ years I spent with the Mariners."

When asked how he felt about having to face his former team in his first game as a Yankee, Suzuki was wistful.

"It'll be hard for me to tell until I step onto that field," he said.

Suzuki, 38, is batting .261 with 49 runs scored and a team-high 15 stolen bases in 95 games with the Mariners this season. The 10-time American League All-Star is Seattle's all-time leader in hits (2,533), runs scored (1,176), triples (79) and at-bats (7,858).

The AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001, Suzuki has spent his entire 12-year career with the Mariners, hitting .322 over that span. He was named an All- Star in 10 straight seasons from 2001-2010, while capturing a Gold Glove Award in each of those campaigns.

The Yankees will reportedly pay a portion of what's left of the $17 million owed to Suzuki this season. He is in the final season of a five-year, $90 million contract and will be a free agent after the season. A source said the Yankees and Mariners have been discussing the trade details for the past couple of days.

The Yankees have been looking for a replacement for outfielder Brett Gardner, who is out for the season with an elbow injury. Nick Swisher is currently out with a mild left hip flexor strain, but the Yankees expect him back for the weekend series with the Red Sox. Andruw Jones and Raul Ibanez have been platooning in the outfield with Gardner playing just nine games this season.

The Mariners get two pitching prospects with some major-league experience.

Mitchell, 25, has spent most of the season pitching with AAA. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 6-4 with a 5.04 earned-run average. He was rated the No. 16 prospect in the New York organization by Baseball America entering this season.

Farquhar, 25, has split the 2012 season between the Toronto, Oakland and New York organizations. This season he has combined to go 2-3 with five saves and a 3.33 ERA.


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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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