SEATTLE -- What can Gary Sanchez do for an encore?

The New York Yankees' rookie catcher, and blossoming star, keeps raising the bar higher every night. All he did Monday was earn American League player of the week honors and then hit two homers in a 7-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

"It's been unbelievable," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after Sanchez went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs and threw a runner out trying to steal second. "The way he's swung the bat. The way he plays defense. ... He's been extremely impressive."

Sanchez and the Yankees (64-60) will be back at Safeco Field on Tuesday night, led by a starting pitcher who pitches pretty well in the stadium. Veteran left-hander CC Sabathia, who is scheduled to start Tuesday, has an all-time record of 8-1 and a career ERA of 2.16 at Safeco Field.

That might not matter much if the 36-year-old southpaw can't shake his recent struggles. Sabathia is 2-6 with a 6.78 ERA over his past 11 starts, giving up 13 home runs in that span.

That might generate some excitement for a Seattle team that hit three home runs in the Monday win over the Yankees.

"Win by the home run, die by the home run," Seattle manager Scott Servais said afterward.

The Yankees (63-61) hit four homers in the loss, all of them coming against Seattle starter Cody Martin. Having spent most of the season at Triple-A Tacoma, Martin might be sent back there before Tuesday's game if the Mariners decide to bring right-hander Taijuan Walker back to start the game against the Yankees. The team had not announced a Tuesday starter as of late Monday night, but Walker (4-7, 4.10 ERA) looks like the most likely option. He's made three starts in Tacoma since being demoted earlier this month, and the team could bring the former top prospect back up for the long haul.

How Walker fares down the stretch could be a big factor in whether the Mariners (67-57) are able to stay in the AL wild-card race. Another key is 22-year-old closer Edwin Diaz, who has converted all 10 of his save opportunities this season but has struggled in each of his past three outings.

Like the Yankees' Sanchez, Diaz has brought a rookie fascination to his team's fan base. He's instantly become one of the most popular players on the Mariners, with a 100-mile-an-hour fastball coming from a rather slight frame, and Seattle's ascent into the playoff hunt has coincided with Diaz taking over for struggling closer Steve Cishek at the beginning of August.

Diaz was almost unhittable for his first two weeks as a closer, but he allowed three total runs in back-to-back outings before Servais gave him a two-game break over the weekend. Fill-in closer Tom Wilhelmsen blew Sunday's game with a four-run ninth inning, then Diaz returned to action in Monday's series opener and quickly pitched himself into trouble with a walk, a one-out single and a balk. But the rookie phenom wiggled out of it to strand runners on second and third base in the 7-5 win.

"The fastball right now is a little bit of a challenge," Servais said, "but he regrouped. That's what happens when you're 22 years old. He'll learn."