Torre adds Wang, Chacon to rotation

Yankees manager Joe Torre picked Chien-Ming Wang and Shawn Chacon for the third and fourth spots in New York's rotation yesterday, leaving Jaret Wright as the fifth starter and long reliever.

The Yankees also shut down righthander Carl Pavano, who already had been scheduled to begin the season on the disabled list because of a back injury. Pavano bruised his left buttocks diving for first base while making a play in a minor league game Tuesday.

An MRI in Tampa Thursday was negative, Torre said, but ''he's got some pain and he's going to be shut down until that pain disappears."

General manager Brian Cashman said he watched Pavano pitch an inning Thursday.

''I could see it was bothering him so it doesn't make sense to push it," Cashman said. ''Hopefully, it's no more than a small episode."

Pavano's tentatively scheduled appearance in a minor league game tomorrow was canceled and there was no word on when he would resume throwing.

Randy Johnson will pitch the season opener Monday in Oakland, Calif., with Mike Mussina the No. 2 starter.

The rotation will change once Pavano returns, probably not until the end of April at the earliest.

Outfielder Jody Gerut was sent to the minors by the Pirates, an unexpected move that created an Opening Day roster spot for center fielder Nate McLouth. Gerut, who hit 22 homers for the Indians in 2003, is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery two seasons ago. He hit .349 this spring with 10 hits in his final 22 at-bats, only to be optioned to Triple A Indianapolis.

''It's certainly a surprise because when you play as well as I have this spring, you expect to be on the team," he said. ''I also understand that they're trying to build a winning team and they just felt I didn't fit on the bench as well as some other people. It's disappointing."

Gerut was told by the Pirates that he didn't show them enough speed.

McLouth quickly became a favorite of manager Jim Tracy, hitting .345 with six stolen bases this spring training.

Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano was arrested and charged with drunken driving in Cape Coral, Fla., but his team said he still could begin the season with the club.

The 22-year-old lefthander was released on $500 bond, the Lee County Jail said. He is to return to Cape Coral for a court date that has not yet been set.

''I made a mistake, and I'm going to pay for it," Liriano told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. ''I'm really sorry for what happened."

Liriano was going 56 miles per hour in a 35-m.p.h. zone and drifting between lanes early Thursday, Cape Coral police spokesman Angelo Bitsis said yesterday. An officer smelled alcohol and gave Liriano a field sobriety test, Bitsis said. Liriano registered a .133 blood-alcohol level, he added. Florida's unlawful blood-alcohol level for drivers is .08.

Cincinnati's Adam Dunn hit his sixth home run of spring training in the Reds' 10-4 victory over Cleveland in Winter Haven, Fla. . . . Albert Pujols homered three times, connecting once off Pedro Martínez and twice against Victor Zambrano in the Cardinals' 9-6 win over the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Martinez gave up three runs and four hits in four innings. He said his toe felt good during his second and final start of spring training . . . Juan Castro, an Opening Day starter at shortstop just once in his nine-year major league career, will get another chance after the Twins optioned Jason Bartlett to Triple A Rochester . . . Pittsburgh's Zach Duke didn't fare so well in his final spring training start. He gave up five earned runs and 10 hits in five innings to the Twins, raising his exhibition ERA to 7.62. Duke, who went 8-1 with a 1.81 ERA in 84 2/3 innings last season for Pittsburgh as a rookie, has given up 25 runs -- 22 earned -- in 26 innings. ''It's been a little rough," Duke said . . . Catcher Guillermo Quiroz, 24, was claimed by Seattle off waivers from Toronto. Quiroz played in 12 games with the Blue Jays last season, hitting .194 (7 for 36) with four RBIs.