Imperfect Tanaka ready for opener

TAMPA — Masahiro Tanaka surrendered his first runs of the spring on Tuesday in a 6-3 loss to the Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field, but the right-hander proclaimed himself ready to go for the regular season.

“I think I was able to throw all my pitches with force,” Tanaka said through a translator after surrendering a pair of runs — one earned — in five innings. “I’m ready to throw 90-100 pitches on Opening Day.”

The night didn’t start well for Tanaka, who had tossed 18 ²/₃ scoreless innings heading into the game. Hurt by a lack of command and shoddy defense behind him, the right-hander allowed Detroit to score twice.

“Obviously, I was out of sync that first inning,” Tanaka said following his 71-pitch outing. “After that, I was still all over the place. I couldn’t get my command right.”

Both he and Joe Girardi were encouraged that even without his best split, he was able to limit the damage.

“He figured out a way to get through it,” the manager said. “Sometimes those can be the starts you learn the most [from]. He had a really good spring.”

His next start will be Sunday against the Rays to start the season at Tropicana Field, where he coughed up four homers in his final outing of 2016.

Girardi said Adam Warren, who has more experience in relief than the other candidates, will start the season in the bullpen. With Luis Cessa sent to the minors, that leaves Luis Severino, Bryan Mitchell, Chad Green and Jordan Montgomery remaining for two spots and one of them won’t work until the Yankees need a fifth starter April 16.

“Everyone else is in play. We want to see us go through this turn before we make our decision,’’ Girardi said.

Jon Niese is returning to the Yankees. The 30-year-old lefty was released Sunday and signed a minor league deal Tuesday. When released, the Yankees said they believed Niese can be valuable once he rebuilds his arm strength. It’s likely he will work in the extended spring training program.