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. Petersburg, Fla., for their series against the Rays, scheduled to throw a bullpen session Sunday.

In case you were under the impression that everyone was playing well for the Yankees, that’s not actually the case. Greg Bird still hasn’t found a rhythm at the plate after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Thursday’s 4-3 win.

He has seven hits in his past 46 at-bats. Both strikeouts came against Paxton and Bird is 1-for-12 with five strikeouts and four walks versus lefties on the year.

Neil Walker, who filled in at third, was also held hitless and is in a 3-for-26 funk since May 27, with no extra-base hits, three walks and eight strikeouts.

Additional reporting by Greg Joyce