Next up for Beltre on hits list is a 'retired' ex-teammate

Adrian Beltre continues to climb the all-time hits chart.

His two singles Tuesday in the Texas Rangers' 12-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers moved him into a tie for 21st in MLB history.

Beltre's next hit will give him 3,090, one more than his former Seattle Mariners teammate, Ichiro Suzuki. The hit will also give Beltre the most hits in MLB history by a foreign-born player.

"I don't keep track of those things, but I'm very humbled to be able to catch someone who has been playing this game so long and had so many hits each year," said Beltre, who was teammates with Suzuki from 2005-2009. "I played with five years, and he was 200-plus hits every year. I've played longer for sure, but it's a nice accomplishment."

Suzuki agreed to enter into a retirement of sorts earlier this season, though he works out with the Mariners daily and travels with the club. He's even taken to throwing batting practice in his role with the team.

While he was never a power hitter, the 2001 American League MVP and Rookie of the Year could put the ball in play.

He's one of the best Beltre has seen.

"As far as hitting and getting singles, he's up there," Beltre said. "He could do everything on the field. He came to the big leagues later, but he was an amazing hitter."

Was?

"Maybe he's going to come back and play next year," Beltre said. "Who knows?"

This story was originally published June 13, 2018 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Next up for Beltre on hits list is a 'retired' ex-teammate."