Three strikes is a weekly article that brings you three of the biggest stories in the last seven days of the MLB, every Monday Morning.

Ichiro still has it

Ichiro Suzuki is no ordinary 44-year-old. Ichiro, one of the most beloved ballplayers in the history of the sport and future Hall of Famer,  marked his return to the Seattle Mariners, the only way he knows how, by robbing hitters of home runs. During Saturday’s clash at home to the Indians, Ichiro, with his side trailing four one climbed the wall in left field to steal back a no-doubter from the bat of Jose Ramirez.

Ichiro is back to robbing homers in Seattle.

This. Is. So. Cool. pic.twitter.com/LIdmiqVetW

— MLB (@MLB) March 31, 2018

The Mariners would go on to lose the tie 6-5, with Ichiro going 2-4 at the plate scoring a run back in the stadium he made his name and the club who signed him back in 2001. Ichiro would go hitless in Sunday night’s victory over the Indians.

Ohtani makes history

Shohei Ohtani became the first player since Babe Ruth, 99 years ago, to start as a position player on Opening day and as a starting pitcher within the club’s first ten games of the season. Ohtani, signed by the Los Angeles Angels, is arguably the most exciting player to come out of Japan since Ichiro, and absolutely the most interesting. Ohtani will DH for the Angels in 2018 whilst also serving as a member of the starting rotation. Ohtani made his debut on opening day at DH collecting his first MLB hit on his first at-bat. Ohtani would go 1-5 in the 6-5 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Ohtani made his MLB pitching debut on Sunday throwing 6.0 innings, giving up three runs off three hits with a walk and six strikeouts, in a 7-4 victory.

Shohei Ohtani, Disgusting 88mph Splitter. 🤮 [First MLB K] pic.twitter.com/f8TIxPIfuT

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 1, 2018

The jury is out on whether Ohtani, a former MVP in his native Japan, will be a flop in the MLB as he attempts to do something not seen for almost a century.

All powerful Yankees not all powerful

The ridiculously stacked New York Yankees have started out the year 2-2 ending their four-game road stand in Toronto with a 7-4 loss, having blown a 3 run lead conceding 2 points in the seventh and four more in the eighth.

The highlight of the opening few days where the Yankees have been involved was the Kevin Pillar stealing three bases in an inning including stealing home during the win on Saturday night.

Kevin Pillar took full advantage of Dellin Betances.

Steal second.
Steal third.
Steal home.#BlueJays pic.twitter.com/hvqJhvHeLH

— Today in MLB (@TodayintheMLB) April 1, 2018

The Yankees held the lead on Saturday and Sunday in the seventh inning and on both occasions blew it, something they did just 12 times in 2017. The Yankees did open up 2018 with back to back wins, Thursday’s win 6-1, saw Giancarlo Stanton going deep twice to the tune of four RBI and a run in a dominant display from the debutant. Stanton would go hitless on Friday and 1-3 on Saturday. Aaron Judge, the outfielding phenom, has started slowly at the plate in 2018 with 3 hits in 15 at bats in the opening four games. Whilst Judge hasn’t lit it up from the batters box, he did demonstrate his cannon arm by gunning down Russell Martin at the plate in one of the most incredible plays of the first week of the regular season.

Trying to run on Aaron Judge?! Think again, laser throw to nail Martin at the plate (nice scoop/tag by Romine) #PinstripePride pic.twitter.com/ykMW1XFr9F

— Steve Angelovich (@angelsteve89) April 1, 2018

Did we miss something in this week’s Three Strikes? Let us know in the comments.