The New York Yankees acquired Ichiro Suzuki from the Seattle Mariners on Monday in a trade that sent the Japanese star from a last-place team to a World Series contender.

The Yankees also got cash considerations from the Mariners, who received pitching prospects D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar.

The teams announced the deal hours before their three-game series opener in Seattle. Moving from one clubhouse to another, Ichiro started in right field in place of the injured Nick Swisher and batted eighth for New York on Monday night. It was the first time Ichiro, who had spent his entire major league career with the Mariners, started a game batting anywhere other than the top three spots in the lineup.

Fans at Safeco Field gave Ichiro a 45-second standing ovation when he came to bat with one out in the third inning. He doffed his helmet and bowed twice to the crowd before hitting a single and stealing second base. The 10-time All-Star went 1-for-4 and caught the final out of New York's 4-1 victory.

Ichiro, 38, is in the final year of a five-year, $90 million contract. During a news conference to announce the deal, Ichiro acknowledged that he requested to be traded, saying that it was in his best interest to not return to the rebuilding Mariners in 2013.

"When I spent time during the All-Star break to think, I realized that this team has many players in their early 20s," Ichiro said through a translator. "I began to think I should not be on this team next year. I also started to feel a desire to be in an atmosphere that I could have a different kind of stimulation than I have right now."

The Mariners granted Ichiro's request in sending him to the first-place Yankees, who boast the majors' best record at 58-38 and own a seven-game lead atop the American League East standings.

"I'm going from a team having the most losses to a team with the most wins, so it's been hard to maintain my excitement," he said.

Ichiro figures to provide a significant boost to the Yankees, who have been searching for outfield depth since likely losing left fielder Brett Gardner to an elbow injury for the remainder of the season.