Girardi gives CC vote of confidence with rotation slot

TAMPA — Last year at this time, CC Sabathia was fighting Ivan Nova for the fifth spot in manager Joe Girardi’s Yankees rotation and eventually won it.

On Friday, the manager anointed the veteran lefty as his No. 2 starter, who will face the Rays on April 4 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Right, left, right,” Girardi said when asked if there was any particular reason. Masahiro Tanaka works the opener, and Michael Pineda will follow Sabathia. “CC had a pretty good year last year when you look at what he did.”

Compared to other seasons Sabathia put together, the 9-12 record and 3.91 ERA in 2016 didn’t look all that good. However, Sabathia got the hang of working with reduced velocity, made 30 starts and logged 1792/3 innings, his most since he worked 211 in 2013.

Sabathia made his fourth spring start Friday in a 3-2 win over the Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field and gave up two runs, nine hits and a walk in 5¹/3 innings. Seven of the hits were ground-ball singles.

“Let’s hope they turn into double plays and outs when the lights come on,” Sabathia said of the grounders that found holes.

Coming off right-knee surgery, Sabathia was pleased his knee didn’t bark and didn’t need to be drained.

“I didn’t miss anything, and I am ready to go,” Sabathia said.

Dellin Betances worked two-thirds of an inning and struck out one in his first appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic. Luis Severino blazed through three hitless in- nings of relief, in which he whiffed five.

“My fastball command was really good,” said Severino, who had been hurt by his lack of command during spring training.

Asked about where he will land when the final roster is put together — rotation, bullpen or Triple-A Scranton/WilkesBarre — Severino said it was out of his hands.

“I can’t control that,” he said. “I can control what I do on the mound.”