(SportsNetwork.com) - Chris Young makes his first start since 2012 on Friday when the Seattle Mariners continue a four-game series with the Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum.
After making the All-Star team in 2007 with the San Diego Padres, Young has failed to make more than 20 starts or avoid the disabled list in each season since and hasn't pitched in a big league game since 2012 when he was 4-9 with a 4.15 ERA in 20 starts for the New York Mets.
He spent 2013 pitching for Triple-A Syracuse in the Nationals' farm system, going 1-2 with a 6.81 ERA before undergoing surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome on June 11.
"It really doesn't matter if I'm ready or not. We've got to do it," Young said. "But I am excited to be back out there. It's been a while for me. I just welcome the opportunity and look forward to it."
The 34-year-old lefty has only made four starts against the A's, but is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA.
Oakland, meanwhile, will rely on righty Dan Straily, who made 27 starts for the A's last season and went 10-8 with a 3.96 ERA. He also started a game against Detroit in the ALDS, but did not get a decision.
Straily hasn't fared that well in three starts against the Mariners, as he is 0-1 with a 7.82 ERA.
Oakland handed Seattle its first loss of the season in Thursday's opener, as Coco Crisp led off the bottom of the 12th inning with a game-winning home run to lift the A's to a 3-2 win.
After fouling off the first pitch of the frame, Crisp scorched a high fastball from Hector Noesi (0-1) over the out-of-town scoreboard in right-center field.
The umpires briefly reviewed the play before ruling Crisp's blast cleared the wall to give the A's their second win of the season.
"You could tell the first swing he was looking for something that he could pull and get up in the air," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Crisp's approach in the final at-bat. "I think that was his intent and that's tough to do, going up there trying to hit a home run, especially when you're a leadoff type guy."
Crisp also scored on Yoenis Cespedes' game-tying triple in the eighth, while Sam Fuld knocked in Oakland's other run with a triple in the fifth.
Drew Pomeranz (1-0) picked up the win after spinning a perfect top of the 12th. Oakland right-hander Jesse Chavez, who made his third career big league start, surrendered two runs -- one earned -- on five hits and two walks in six innings.
Abraham Almonte went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Seattle, which received a terrific effort from starter Roenis Elias in his major league debut. Elias carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before running into trouble.
Seattle was 11-8 versus the A's last season.
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