The Mariners host the Oakland Athletics for a three-game series that begins on Tuesday, followed by another three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels that concludes on Sunday. They then embark on a seven-game road trip and do not return home again to Safeco Field until May 15.

The 44-year-old Ichiro, who is hitting just .220/.256/.220 in 14 appearances in 2018, has played in the MLB for 18 seasons and said last year that he wanted to continue playing for a while longer. It’s unclear if a return to his native Japan would be in the cards, but this year’s homecoming to the Mariners, the team where he began his MLB career and enjoyed his peak seasons, may have given him the sense that he has completed the race.