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Phil Hughes has won the battle: the young right-hander was chosen over four other pitchers Thursday as the New York Yankees’ fifth starter.

One of the guys Hughes beat out was Joba Chamberlain, who is in the mix for the eighth inning set-up spot out of the bullpen ahead of closer Mariano Rivera.  The others were Sergio Mitre, Alfredo Aceves and Chad Gaudin, released earlier in the day… the day after his 27th birthday. 

Gaudin will receive $725,410 in termination pay rather than the non-guaranteed $2.95 million salary everyone agreed upon back in January to avoid arbitration.

Hughes, who made seven starts at the beginning of last season, was moved to the bullpen after Chien-Ming Wang got hurt.  Meanwhile, Chamberlain was in the rotation all during the regular season before being shifted to the pen in the playoffs, which seemed like a much better fit.

In other Yankees news, Alex Rodriguez has declined to comment once again on his upcoming meeting with the feds regarding his possible connection to that shady Canadian doctor with the weird calf”s blood treatment.

The All-Star third baseman is scheduled to meet with officials Friday in Buffalo, N.Y.  We’ll keep you posted!