Robinson Cano will play his first game as an opposing player at Yankee Stadium Tuesday when he shows up with the Mariners.
But he was already making the rounds in Manhattan on Monday.
He arrived at 30 Rockefeller Center shortly before 5 p.m. to tape an appearance on “The Tonight Show” and stopped to sign a handful of autographs.
Asked if it was good to be back in New York, Cano said: “Of course.”
His answer could change Tuesday when he faces the fans in The Bronx, who may not react kindly to him leaving for Seattle after playing in front of them for nine seasons.
On The Tonight Show, he was asked by host Jimmy Fallon what he expects when he steps on the field.
“The way I left New York I left in a good way. I’ll hopefully get a good standing ovation. But if it’s not, I’m going to have fun. I’m still going to have some love for the New York fans, for all those years I was here.”
That seems an unlikely scenario. On Monday, the crowd treated him pretty well, but a group of tourists in midtown isn’t the same as what he’s likely to see or hear at The Stadium.
Still, no one seems to know just how he’ll be received — partly because it’s hard to recall a star player leaving the Yankees in the prime of his career for more money elsewhere.
His replacement, Brian Roberts, is still stunned he left.
“I think it surprised everybody,” Roberts said Sunday. “I never thought I’d be here because like a lot of people, I thought he would finish his career here.”
He didn’t, of course.
After the Mariners blew the Yankees out of the water with a 10-year, $240 million contract offer, Cano headed to the Pacific Northwest. And while the Yankees moved swiftly and added Jacoby Ellsbury shortly after Cano bolted, there’s no doubt he’s missed in the lineup.
That remains to be seen.
His former teammates all understand why he left. The enticement of an extra $65 million is difficult to argue with. The fans may have a different reaction.
Through his first 24 games, Cano has homered just once and has an OPS of .740. That figures to change and perhaps a trip back to homer-friendly Yankee Stadium will help.
Roberts, knows that could happen.
“He was pretty dominant everywhere he plays, but he just seemed to be able to do whatever he wanted when he was here,” Roberts said.
The Yankees have survived without Cano so far, mainly due to the arrival of Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran to make up for some of what they lost.
Roberts hasn’t been much help.
“I don’t ever think about replacing Robbie,” Roberts said. “I know that people are going to say, ‘You’re replacing Robbie,’ but it’s a whole different team.”
The longtime Oriole could relate to Cano’s leaving, since he had expected to remain in Baltimore his entire career. Playing against Cano in the AL East, Roberts said one thing about Cano’s game stood out more than any other.
“Probably just the ease of his giftedness,” Roberts said. “I know early on that was a struggle for some people here, because it didn’t look like he was trying. Those guys are few and far between, guys that do it that easy.”
He’ll be facing a new challenge on Tuesday.
Additional reporting by Zach Braziller.