(SportsNetwork.com) - Robinson Cano spent the first nine years of his career calling Yankee Stadium his home.
Now he'll enter as an opposing player for the first time on Tuesday when the Seattle Mariners begin a three-game series with the Yankees in the Bronx.
"It's going to be weird," Cano said. "It's going to feel a lot different being on the other side."
A five-time All-Star in New York, Cano was unable to finalize a deal with the Yankees this offseason and left as a free agent, signing a monster 10-year, $240 million deal with the Mariners.
"(I'm) just looking forward to going there, and now I'm obviously on the opposite team ... and hopefully I'll be treated nice by the fans," Cano said of his return. "Just looking forward to going back and playing on the field that I first came up (on) as a young kid and what I learned as I grew up and see teammates, especially a guy like (Derek) Jeter in his last year."
Cano got off to a slow start with his new team, but comes into this series on a tear. Riding a seven-game hit streak, Cano is 11-for-26 (.423) with four runs scored and has gotten his average up to .301.
Seattle had perhaps its biggest win of the season on Sunday, as it overcame a five-run deficit and scored five times over its final three at bats to beat Texas, 6-5, and nail down the three-game series at Safeco Field. Kyle Seager homered twice, including a three-run shot in the eighth to put the Mariners up for good.
"He's starting to swing the bat the way we know he's capable of swinging," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said about Seager, who has hit a career-high five home runs in April.
Seattle, which has won three of four after an eight-game losing streak will rely on right-hander Chris Young on Tuesday. Young has yet to record a decision in four games (3 starts), but has pitched to a 3.50 ERA. He pitched well against Houston on Wednesday, as he limited the Astros to three runs and four hits in seven innings. However, he walked five batters in his team's 5-3 win.
"My rhythm and tempo was really bad early," said Young, who hasn't won since Sept. 2, 2012. "But in the fourth I found it, and the last four innings I felt real good."
Young has faced the Yankees three times and is 1-0 with a 5.52 ERA in those outings.
New York, meanwhile, will counter with lefty CC Sabathia, who has won his last two starts. Sabathia beat the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, holding them to a pair of runs and three hits in six innings. He also struck out eight and improved to 3-2, while lowering his ERA to 4.78.
"I just wanted to go out and have a good outing. That's what it's all about," Sabathia said. "I know we've been taxing the bullpen in the situation we've been in the last couple weeks. But it just felt good to go out and pitch good and get a win."
Sabathia is 12-4 lifetime versus the Mariners with a 2.48 ERA in 21 starts. He's also 8-0 with a 1.36 ERA in his last nine starts against them, with New York winning all of them.
The Yankees haven't missed Cano yet, as they sit atop the American League East standings at 15-10. New York took three of four from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim over the weekend and has won three of four and five of its last seven games.
New York took four of seven from Seattle in 2013.
[SportsNetwork.com]
