Ichiro leaving field for front office

SEATTLE — Ichiro Suzuki was released Thursday by the Mariners and is shifting to a frontoffice role with the team — though he is not completely ruling out playing again.

The Mariners announced that Suzuki was becoming a special assistant to the chairman effective immediately. He will have an active presence with the team and assist with outfield play, base running and hitting.

But nowhere in the announcement did the Mariners say he was retiring, though Suzuki, 44, is precluded from returning to the active roster in 2018.

“We want to make sure we capture all of the value that Ichiro brings to this team off the field,” Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto said. “This new role is a way to accomplish that. While it will evolve over time, the key is that Ichiro’s presence in our clubhouse and with our players and staff improves our opportunity to win games.”

Suzuki is in his 18th season and had appeared in 15 games this season. He hit .205 in 44 at-bats this year. All nine hits were singles. He has spent parts of 13 seasons with the Mariners. He also played for the Marlins and the Yankees.

While Suzuki can’t return this season, anything beyond 2018 is unknown. And the Mariners do open the 2019 regular season with a two-game series in Tokyo.

“While this agreement only covers the 2018 season, it is our goal that Ichiro be a member of the Seattle organization long term,” Dipoto said. “As his role evolves over the 2018 season, it will inform the team and Ichiro on his best fit with us in 2019 and beyond.”

The 10-time All-Star has a .311 average and 3,089 hits, not including the 1,278 hits he amassed in nine seasons in Japan.