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The New York Yankees are making a push for Ichiro Suzuki, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
Sources: #Yankees making push for Ichiro. Story: msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/new-…
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 9, 2012
Suzuki joined the Yankees last July 23 after spending his entire MLB career to that point as a Seattle Mariner. The 39-year old was in the midst of his worst year statistically until the move to New York. He was batting .261/.288/.353 in 95 games with the Mariners.
The move helped revive Suzuki's year. In just 67 games as a Bomber, he batted .322/.340/.454 with five home runs and 14 stolen bases. The friendly confines of Yankee Stadium helped with Suzuki's hitting and power.
It is likely that Suzuki will sign a one-year deal and complement the other two left-handed hitters in Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson in the outfield. Adding Ichiro would not automatically end the bid for Josh Hamilton for the Yankees, but the picture would need to include a trade of Curtis Granderson to make room on the payroll.
Signing Suzuki would not help the Yankees get any younger. The 39-year-old would join a growing list of elder offseason acquisitions for the Yankees, with Mariano Rivera (43), Andy Pettitte (40), and Hiroki Kuroda (37) already on board for 2013 .