Ichiro Suzuki snuck into the dugout with a fake mustache and sunglasses at the start of his Seattle Mariners’ 4-3 defeat at the New York Yankees on Thursday. Actually, he’s not allowed to be there during the game.
Officially, Ichiro has been a Mariner official since May. This in turn prevents him from being in the dugout or on the field during the games. However, Ichiro avoided this in the first inning in the Yankee Stadium.
With mirror sunglasses, a big moustache and a hoodie he sat on the bench while the Yankees hit two home runs through Aaron Judge and Miguel Andujar. A photographer discovered the Japanese and took a snapshot.
Ichiro participates in batting practice before the games and also participates in fielding training. But he then follows the games according to the rules from the cabin.
When he announced his transition to the team’s front office, however, he already indicated that he would occasionally go into the dugout in disguise: “But I can’t say for sure that I won’t perhaps put on a beard and sunglasses and sit in the dugout like Bobby Valentine”.
But Valentine reacted to Ichiro’s action to the Associated Press: “It was perfect. I never would have noticed it was him.” In 1999, Valentine was once expelled as manager of the New York Mets in the 12th inning of a game of the field and finally returned to the Dugout in disguise.
As a result, the MLB banned Valentine from two games and fined him $5,000. Whether the MLB now proceeds similarly with Ichiro is unclear.
This article was published without previous view by the Major League Baseball.