YANKEE NOTES

Robinson Cano’s spot on the bench last night had more to do with Joe Torre’s desire to get Miguel Cairo into a game than removing Cano’s red-hot bat from the lineup against Devil Rays lefty Scott Kazmir.

“He doesn’t need a day off,” Torre said of Cano, who is riding a 12-game hitting streak, the longest by a Yankee this season. “Cairo needs a day to play. If you are going to do it, you do it against a tough left-hander even though [Cano] doesn’t care if it’s a righty or lefty.”

Cairo led off the bottom of the second last night with a double against Kazmir, but the lefty quickly picked him off, sending him back to the dugout.

Cano, who was 0-for-3 against Kazmir, was batting .333 (7-for-21) against lefties and .357 (15-for-42) versus righties.

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Andy Phillips started his second straight game (and fourth in five) at first base last night. According to Torre, Carlos Pena – hovering at Triple-A as a possible backup first baseman – isn’t a factor in Phillips’ starting.

“This has nothing to do with Carlos Pena,” Torre said of the left-handed-hitting first baseman, who was batting .200 (3-for-15) for the Clippers going into last night’s action. “In order for Philly to help us, he needs at-bats.”

Phillips was batting .125 (2-for-16) overall, going into last night. He ended the first inning by grounding out to first with runners on first and third.

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Carl Pavanothrew two innings of a controlled batting practice yesterday in Tampa, totaling 30 pitches.

“He will get at least one more batting practice and then we will talk about getting him into a game,” Torre said of the right-hander, who is on the DL with a bruised buttocks and isn’t expected until June.