Ichiro Suzuki will transition out of his playing role with the Seattle Mariners and will serve as a special assistant to the chairman.

The move precludes Ichiro from rejoining the active roster in 2018. Ichiro's agent, John Boggs, said his client is not retiring, however.

"He's taking on a different role for 2018, and 2019 has yet to evolve," Boggs told The Athletic. "... The future has yet to be determined."

"We want to make sure we capture all of the value that Ichiro brings to this team off the field," general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. "This new role is a way to accomplish that. While it will evolve over time, the key is that Ichiro's presence in our clubhouse and with our players and staff improves our opportunity to win games. That is our No. 1 priority and Ichiro's No. 1 priority."

Ichiro had appeared in 15 games this season after signing a one-year deal with Seattle in March, hitting .205 in 2018.