Mar 17, 2016 5 min read

BRADENTON, Fla. – Rob Refsnyder and Starlin Castro homered off left-hander Jeff Locke as the New York Yankees beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 on Thursday.

Castro, who played shortstop for the first time this spring, cleared the batter’s eye in straightaway center field on his fifth-inning blast. He is batting .417.

“I’m happy we got him,” manager Joe Girardi said. “I think he’s going to be a big part of our club.”

Refsnyder paced the Yankees’ offense with three RBIs, pushing them ahead after right-hander Masahiro Tanaka gave up four hits and two runs in two innings. He threw just 30 of 50 pitches for strikes.

“A lot of long counts,” Girardi said. “I didn’t think he was extremely sharp. You’re going to have those days early on in spring training, his third start. So, we’ll build off it.”

In the first inning, Andrew McCutchen hit Tanaka’s first offering onto the boardwalk beyond the left-field wall for his third home run in four games. After a balky knee slowed his start last year, McCutchen said he is healthier than ever this spring.

“I feel pretty strong, as you can see,” McCutchen said. “I feel good.”

Locke surrendered six hits and five runs in five innings. He walked two and struck out two.

“Made some mistakes leaving the ball up over the plate,” Locke said.

Luis Severino, the Yankees’ 22-year-old right-hander, struck out five over four scoreless innings to earn his first win. He walked away unscathed after a brief scare in the fifth inning when Starling Marte ripped a line drive back at the mound. Severino fell to the dirt but made the catch.

“I was lucky,” Severino said. “I saw it all the way, heading for my face, put up my glove and caught it.”

Pirates: LHP Cory Luebke (hamstring) made his spring debut against the Yankees and pitched a scoreless ninth. Luebke is considered a candidate for the final spot in the Pirates’ bullpen, which is likely to go to a left-handed pitcher – other options are Kyle Lobstein and Eric O’Flaherty. . Acquired last week, 3B David Freese finally reached full strength and went 1 for 3 in his Pirates debut.

Yankees: CF Aaron Hicks was scratched from the lineup because of a stye in his eye. He visited an eye specialist and is expected to be out a few days, according to Girardi. . C James McCann returned to the lineup for the first time since Sunday, when he fouled a ball off his knee. . LF Brett Gardner came through his spring debut well Wednesday and is expected to play every other day through the weekend.

Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole will start Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, opposing ex-Pirates RHP Charlie Morton.

Yankees: LHP C.C. Sabathia is in line to pitch Friday against the Baltimore Orioles in Tampa.

Right-hander Alfredo Simon has returned to Cincinnati on a 1-year deal, giving the Reds another option for their depleted rotation.

Simon spent three years with the Reds, the first two as a reliever. He moved into the rotation in 2014 and went 15-10. The Reds traded him to Detroit for infielder Eugenio Suarez, and he went 13-12 with a 5.05 ERA for the Tigers in 31 starts.

Injuries have left the Reds with several open spots in the rotation. Homer Bailey isn’t expected back until May as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. John Lamb had back surgery and won’t be ready for the start of the season. Michael Lorenzen was diagnosed with a sprained ligament in his right elbow and is sidelined indefinitely.

Washington Nationals right-hander Bronson Arroyo says he has a “significantly torn” right rotator cuff, but he’s not ready to call off his comeback attempt at 39 just yet.

Arroyo has not pitched since June 14, 2014 because of Tommy John surgery. He was scratched from his start Wednesday because of a sore shoulder. The 15-year veteran says he is not going to have surgery and will either rehabilitate the injury or retire.

Arroyo, a 2006 All-Star with Cincinnati, signed a minor league deal with the Nationals in January. He was competing for a spot at the back of the rotation.

The Cleveland Indians have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd.

The 38-year-old Byrd is undergoing medical tests Thursday at the team’s spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona. As long as there are no issues, he’ll sign with Cleveland.

A 14-year veteran, Byrd has a .275 career average with 154 homers and 691 RBIs for nine teams, including the Pirates.

Byrd signed with Cincinnati last season and batted .237 with 19 homers in 96 games before he was traded to San Francisco. He hit .275 with four homers and 32 RBIs in 39 games for the Giants.