Who set MLB's single-season hits record with 262 hits in 2004?

Who set MLB’s single-season hits record with 262 hits in 2004? The answer is Ichiro Suzuki.

Playing for the Seattle Mariners in 2004, Ichiro Suzuki collected 262 hits, setting MLB’s single-season record. He broke George Sisler’s 84-year-old record of 257 hits, then surpassed Sisler’s mark with his 258th hit on October 1, 2004.

Suzuki’s achievement was built on exceptional bat control, speed and consistency rather than overwhelming home-run power. He reached 200 hits in just his 126th game and recorded at least 50 hits in four different months during the season. His 262-hit total remains one of baseball’s most difficult offensive records.

The record is sometimes confused with Pete Rose’s career hits record or Tony Gwynn’s reputation as a premier contact hitter. Suzuki also had a remarkable international résumé: before joining MLB, he was already an established star in Japan. His combined professional total eventually exceeded 4,000 hits, though MLB’s 262 remains the relevant single-season major-league mark.