When Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly filled in his lineup card Sunday, he slotted the 43-year-old Ichiro Suzuki in center field. Ichiro proceeded to play nine innings at the position in a 4-2 Marlins win over the Cubs, making him the oldest man to appear in center since… well, just about ever.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, no one Ichiro’s age has played centerfield since 1900, which is as far as their data goes back. The previous oldest had been Rickey Henderson.
Per @EliasSports, via @Marlins: Ichiro (43 yrs, 246 days) is oldest starting CF since 1900. R. Henderson: 43.211 in last CF start (7/24/02).
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) June 25, 2017
In some ways, this record is just a matter of coincidence. Christian Yelich had the day off Sunday, and Mattingly, for some reason, chose Ichiro over Marcell Ozuna to fill his position. Most teams would have a back-up center fielder more qualified to fill in than a 43-year-old who has spent most of his career in right.
But in another sense, this accomplishment is an incredible testament to Ichiro’s longevity. At an age when most ex-All-Stars are watching games on TV with a beer in their hands, this guy is still around, convincing an MLB team he’s worth a precious roster spot—and a start at a crucial position. He’s been good enough for long enough, while keeping himself in good enough shape, that the Marlins have happily kept giving him at-bats. It’s pretty incredible.
Ichiro went 0-for-4 Sunday to drop his line on the season to .200/.232/.284, which puts him among the worst hitters in the National League, but that’s not the point. He’s 43 years old, still playing Major League Baseball and still making history. Long live Ichiro.
