Judge named starting right fielder for Yankees

Aaron Judge has won the right fielder’s job for the New York Yankees while Luis Severino earned the fourth spot in the Bronx Bombers’ starting rotation. The season begins Sunday at Tampa.

Aaron Judge won the Yankees’ right field job, a decision that left Aaron Hicks as New York’s fourth outfielder, and Luis Severino has earned the fourth spot in the starting rotation.

“That was a very tough call,” manager Joe Girardi said. “It was a very good competition. In the end, we thought Judge won the competition.”

Judge, 6-foot-7 and 282 pounds, has a .344 spring training average. He hit .179 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 27 games following his August call-up to the Yankees last season. He also struck out 42 times in 84 atbats.

“He had more consistent at-bats,” Girardi said. “There were less strikeouts. There was better contact, consistent contact. He got better and better as spring training went along.”

Severino, 23, went just 3-8 with a 5.83 ERA in 11 starts and 11 relief appearances last year. He gave up one run in five innings Thursday against Philadelphia.

Treinen named Nats’ closer

Blake Treinen will begin the season as Washington’s closer, even though he has only one big league save.

After the Nationals lost Mark Melancon to the San Francisco Giants in free agency, Treinen won the job over Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover.

“Blake has that turbo sinker,” manager Dusty Baker said Thursday. “He may give up a hit or a walk, but he’s always one pitch away from getting two outs with one pitch.”

Ppelfrey cut

Detroit released righthander Mike Pelfrey, who is guaranteed $8 million in the second season of a $16 million, two-year deal.

Pelfrey went 4-10 with a 5.07 ERA last season with the Tigers. He was 2-3 with a 7.94 ERA in three spring training starts and five relief appearances.

The 33-year-old Pelfrey is 65-91 with a 4.57 ERA in a career that started in 2002 with the New York Mets and included a three-season stint in Minnesota. He won 38 games from 2008 through 2010 with the Mets and has not won more than seven games in a season since that stretch.

Zack is back

Zack Wheeler has earned a spot in the New York Mets’ rotation after missing two years while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Robert Gsellman will begin the season as the team’s No. 5 starter in place of the injured Steven Matz.

Manager Terry Collins also said center fielder Juan Lagares will go on the disabled list because of an oblique strain and outfielder Michael Conforto will be with the Mets on opening day.

Collins chose to use Wheeler in a role he is familiar with rather than send him to the bullpen. Gsellman is scheduled to pitch out of the bullpen in the first couple of games before starting for the Mets on April 9.

Roundup

YANKEES 14, PHILLIES 1 » Gary Sanchez hit his fifth home run and Ronald Torreyes, who earned the shortstop job while Didi Gregorius recuperates from an injured throwing shoulder, went 2 for 2 with a homer and four RBIs.

Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff recorded just two outs and was charged with six runs and four hits. RED SOX 8, NATIONALS 1 » Nationals starter Joe Ross allowed four runs, eight hits and two walks in three innings, while Boston’s Kyle Kendrick gave up one run and six hits in four innings.

Boston star Dustin Pedroia went 2 for 2 with two RBIs, and touted prospect Andrew Benintendi added a pair of hits and drove in a run. METS 5, TRIPLE-A LAS VEGAS 4» Jay Bruce homered off Jacob deGrom, pitching for the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate, while Neil Walker and Curtis Granderson both drove in runs for the Mets. DeGrom gave up one run and two hits over three innings.