Cashman: Ichiro Suzuki sets pride aside

Ichiro Suzuki consented to numerous conditions before the Bombers agreed to acquire him from the Mariners, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday.

Cashman told WFAN that the team made sure that Ichiro - the big man in the clubhouse in his time with Seattle - was OK with batting lower in the order, sitting against lefties and moving to left field when regular right fielder Nick Swisher returns from injury.

All of this was fine with the 10-time All-Star, who has languished with Seattle. The Mariners haven't made the playoffs since his rookie year in 2001.

"He's going to have to make some adjustments and sacrifices," Cashman said. "He was educated of all that and how we would want to use him before approving this, and he had to approve this knowing that. And yet he came."

Cashman also told MLB Network Radio that Mariano Rivera would not return this season - and criticized the physical therapist who suggested otherwise.

"His physical therapist that he's working with, I thought was unprofessional and went public with things," Cashman said. "I mean, medical personnel should be quiet."