It was subtle and if you weren’t looking directly at him when he did it, you probably missed it. It was in the top of the seventh inning of Thursday night’s game between the Dodgers and Marlins at Dodger Stadium. At the time, Japanese superstar pitcher Kenta Maeda and the Dodgers were clinging to a precarious 2-1 lead. At the plate leading off the inning for the Marlins was an even bigger Japanese superstar – 41-year-old soon-to-be dual Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki – simply known as “Ichiro.”

“I never imagined that I would be able to face him in my life,” Maeda said. “It’s somebody I looked up to when I was a child and it’s an honor to be able to face him.”

One can only imagine the excitement that Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda felt meeting his childhood hero. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

It was Ichiro’s third at-bat against Maeda, having been struck out in the second inning and popping out to Dodgers second baseman Howie Kendrick in the fourth inning. As the seasoned veteran stepped into the batters box, Maeda, who was standing in front of the rubber knowing that this would (probably) be the final time that the two would face each other, gave Ichiro a ever-so-slight customary Japanese head bow. Ichiro responded with an even more ever-so-slight nod. That was it, pleasantries exchanged. It was now once again game-on; me against you; may the best man win.

It ended with Ichiro again popping out, this time to Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and it might very well have been the final time that these two Japanese gladiators will ever face each other – depending on what happens when the two teams meet again in South Florida in September.

Although Maeda struck out Ichiro in the second inning of Thursday night’s game, he allowed a home run to the very next batter, Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto. We’ll never know if Maeda was still thinking about Ichiro when Realmuto deposited his first pitch into the Right Field Pavilion. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Even though Maeda got the better of his childhood hero … this time, the Marlins went on to beat the Dodgers by a score of 5-2 to complete a four-game sweep – the result of a complete power-outage by the Dodgers. But in spite of the final outcome of the game and the series, it’s impossible not to feel good about Maeda getting to meet and face his childhood hero and future Hall of Famer … on both sides of the Pacific.