A.J. Cole was placed on the disabled list with a pinched nerve in his neck Thursday, with Luis Cessa taking his spot on the staff.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Cole, who pitched two innings Tuesday, felt the injury while playing catch Wednesday. Cessa has been on a rehab assignment, coming back from an oblique injury, and was scheduled to start for Double-A Trenton on Thursday night.
“We felt like we needed length,’’ Boone said.
Masahiro Tanaka (hamstrings) played catch on flat ground again Thursday and Boone said he would be with the team in St.