If Miami Marlins president David Samson gets his wish, Ichiro Suzuki and the Marlins would open the 2018 season in Japan en route to a World Series championship.
Speaking Saturday, Samson said the National League club has Ichiro on the roster not because of his name, but because of his value as a player.
"We don't have Ichiro on our team because he's the best Japanese player of all time and one of the best players ever. We have him on our team because we think he helps us win more games today," said Samson, who was on hand for the start of Little League Baseball's inaugural MLB Cup.