Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki announcing retirement

March 21 (UPI) -- Seattle Mariners icon Ichiro Suzuki will retire following his final game of the 2019 MLB opening series Thursday against the Oakland Athletics in Japan.

Sources informed MLB.com of Suzuki's plans following the game at the Tokyo Dome. The 45 year old outfielder went 0-for-1 with a walk in the Mariners' 9-7 win against the Athletics Wednesday in Tokyo. He was 0-for-4 with a strikeout through eight innings in Thursday's finale.

Suzuki owns a career .311 batting average, eclipsing the .300 mark in each of his first 10 seasons. He led baseball wtih 242 hits and 56 stolen bases while hitting an American League-best .350 in his first season in 2001. He won MVP and Rookie of the Year for his efforts that season.

He hit a career-best .372 in 2004. The 10-time All-Star also won 10 Gold Glove awards, three Silver Slugger awards and was an All-Star Game MVP. Suzuki had two hits in 28 plate appearances during Mariners spring training. He made more than $167 million during his 19-year tenure with the Mariners, New York Yankees and Miami Marlins.

Suzuki retires with 3,089 hits, the 23rd most in baseball history. He ranks sixth all-time with 2,514 singles.