BOSTON – Jim Leyritz has Joe Torre to thank for coming back to the Yankees to bask in the bright lights of Manhattan the outspoken utility man loves so much.

“I had discussions for a couple of days, but once Joe gave it the green light, I did it,” GM Brian Cashman said of acquiring Leyritz from the Padres yesterday for minor league pitcher Geraldo Padua, a fringe prospect at best.

However, if Leyritz carps about a lack of playing time as has been his history with the Yankees, Angels, Rangers, Red Sox and Padres, Leyritz will be shown the door quickly.

“He knows his role,” Cashman said of Leyritz, who is expected to be in uniform for tonight’s game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Leyritz was a Yankee from 1990 to 1996 and is best remembered for his clutch World Series homer off the Braves’ Mark Wohlers in 1996.

“He told me, ‘I am ready to accept whatever role.’ I told him he was going to be a role player and he said he was looking forward to it.”

Thanks to a broken left hand suffered on June 23 when the Dodgers Chan Ho Park hit him, Leyritz hasn’t played in a big league game since. He was activated from the DL Friday. In 50 games for the Padres, the 35-year-old Leyritz hit .239 with eight homers and 21 RBIs. He is a career .268 hitter. Leyritz’ best season as a Yankee was 1993 when he hit .309 with 14 homers and 53 RBIs.

In order to make room for Leyritz, the Yankees designated Jeff Manto for assignment. Manto, who was claimed on waivers from the Indians on July 2, appeared in six games for the Yankees, hitting .125 (1-for-8).

Not believed to be a big fan of Leyritz’ ways the first time through, Torre has only one goal in mind: make the best team in baseball better.

“He will improve on what we have,” Torre said of Leyritz, who has seven post-season homers in 58 at-bats. “That’s the only way I can look at it objectively. It would go against my philosophy of trying to do what’s best for the team. I am a believer winning creates chemistry as opposed to the other way around. Not that he would disrupt anything.”

While the Leyritz deal was believed to be the Yankees’ only transaction before last night’s waiver trading deadline, Cashman wasn’t ready to turn off his phone. But the feeling throughout the organization was that struggling lefty Andy Pettitte wasn’t going to be dealt.

Now, George Steinbrenner has put Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre in charge of fixing Pettitte’s 7-8 record and 5.65 ERA.

“He knows how I feel about Andy,” Torre said of The Boss, who watched yesterday’s action from a box seat near the Yankee dugout. “People have had mixed feelings about Andy. In essence, he is saying, ‘All right, let’s fix it.’ That’s not to say there was a deal that you say, ‘We have to make this deal.’ There hasn’t been that deal. I think just for the sake of making a move to move somebody of Andy’s ability, I am glad we didn’t do that.”

Outwardly, Pettitte says hearing his name in trade rumors for three weeks didn’t bother him simply because he had no control over the situation. However, Torre and many others believe not knowing if he was staying with the only organization he has played for extracted a toll on the lone lefty in Torre’s rotation.

“It’s out of my hands,” said Pettitte who is slated to face David Wells and the Blue Jays tomorrow night at the Stadium. “What I have to do is get right and help this team win. Trade deadline or no trade deadline, I have to be ready to pitch. I don’t think it will happen. If they don’t want me here I don’t want to be here, but it’s out of my hands.”

Of course, Pettitte could be dealt after the deadline if he clears waivers. As of yesterday, the Yankees hadn’t put him on the waiver wire.

The only way Pettitte was going to be dealt was if Cashman was offered something so good – Tampa Bay’s Roberto Hernandez? – at a late hour and he had to make room for money. Then it was believed Cashman had a deal with the Phillies who would send minor leaguers to the Yankees for Pettitte.

With the Indians poised to acquire Yankee-killer Chuck Finley from the Angels last night, the Yankees watched with interest since the Yankees were heavily involved in discussions with the Angels.

“It just didn’t make sense,” a Yankee source said of acquiring the 36-year-old pitcher who didn’t want to sign a contract extension.