24 Facts About Kurt Suzuki

1.

Kurtis Kiyoshi Suzuki was born on October 4,1983 and is an American former professional baseball catcher.

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2.

Kurt Suzuki played in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angeles Angels.

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3.

Kurt Suzuki was named an MLB All-Star in 2014 as a member of the Twins while hitting a career-best.

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4.

In 2019, Kurt Suzuki caught for the Nationals as they won the World Series, making him both a College World Series and MLB World Series champion.

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5.

Kurt Suzuki was born to Warren and Kathleen Kurt Suzuki in Wailuku, Hawaii, and attended Henry Perrine Baldwin High School from which he graduated in 2001.

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6.

Kurt Suzuki was mentored as a youth by Hawaiian MLB scout Walter Isamu Komatsubara.

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7.

Kurt Suzuki attended California State University, Fullerton, where he played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball team.

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8.

Kurt Suzuki was selected All-American by two publications, Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball.

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9.

Kurt Suzuki was the recipient of the first-ever Brooks Wallace Award.

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10.

Kurt Suzuki began the 2007 season with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats.

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11.

Kurt Suzuki joined the major league club on June 9,2007, after rarely used catcher Adam Melhuse was traded to the Texas Rangers, and made his debut three days later as a pinch hitter in a game against the Houston Astros.

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12.

On September 10,2007, Kurt Suzuki hit his first grand slam in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners.

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13.

Kurt Suzuki led the A's in RBIs, and became only the second catcher in the franchise's history to do so.

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14.

Kurt Suzuki led the team in hits, doubles and total bases, and was second in home runs and runs scored behind teammate Jack Cust.

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15.

On July 23,2010, Kurt Suzuki signed a four-year extension with the Oakland Athletics, estimated to be worth $16.

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16.

On May 12,2013, Kurt Suzuki was ejected for the first time in his MLB career by umpire John Tumpane for arguing a strike-three call.

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17.

Free agent after the 2013 season, Kurt Suzuki signed with the Minnesota Twins on December 23,2013.

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18.

Kurt Suzuki was named to the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, finishing up the game with his Twins battery-mate, Glen Perkins.

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19.

Kurt Suzuki agreed to a two-year contract extension with the team on July 31,2014.

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20.

Kurt Suzuki set a career high in home runs that season, hitting 19 in 276 at-bats while platooning with Tyler Flowers.

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21.

On October 23,2019, Kurt Suzuki became the first Hawaii-born player to hit a home run in the World Series, doing so off of Justin Verlander in Game 2.

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22.

Kurt Suzuki was raised in Maui and graduated from Baldwin High School.

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23.

Kurt Suzuki married his wife Renee Marie Suzuki in January 2007.

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24.

Kurt Suzuki took a brief paternity leave after his daughter's birth in 2011.

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