NEW YORK (AP) – Manager Joe Torre will start Ramiro Mendoza on Monday against the Boston Red Sox, but after that, the fifth spot in the New York Yankees' rotation is a question mark.

With Orlando Hernandez on the disabled list with an injured toe and Torre hesitant to start Mike Mussina against Boston's Pedro Martinez for a third time in 12 days, Mendoza got the nod.

"We want quality and we know we'll get quality from him," Torre said. "It gives us an opportunity to see him out there. Obviously, we're not looking for nine innings from him. We'll keep him in the 70-to-75 pitch range."

Mendoza, who missed most of last season with an injured right shoulder, hasn't started in the majors since May 30, 2000. Torre has been hesitant to use him in that role in the past, in part because of health concerns.

Mendoza hasn't pitched since going 4 2-3 innings May 18 in Seattle. But general manager Brian Cashman is confident Mendoza (3-1, 3.70 ERA) is up to starting.

"I don't think anybody has said the injuries came from starting pitching," Cashman said. "I disagree that he got hurt because he was starting. It was normal wear and tear."

The Yankees will call up a starting pitcher from Triple-A Columbus on Sunday to take Hernandez's place on the roster, but Mendoza could stay in the rotation as long as El Duque is out.

Adrian Hernandez, Brett Jodie, Randy Keisler and Brandon Knight are all under consideration to be called up.

Orlando Hernandez, 0-5 with a 5.14 ERA in nine starts, was scheduled to be examined Monday by Dr. William Hamilton, a foot specialist. The irritation is in the second toe of El Duque's left foot, the one he lands on after releasing a pitch.

Hernandez, whose pitching elbow and forearm sidelined him during a large part of spring training, has been bothered by the toe for much of the season.

"All I know is that he says it hurts," Torre said. "It's not getting better because he keeps putting stress on it. Two weeks seems like a minimum situation."

If Hernandez is out for a long time, the Yankees might be forced to make a trade to fortify the strength of their team. The most prominent pitcher on the trade market is former Yankee David Wells, who has struggled this season with the Chicago White Sox.

Wells is 3-5 with a 4.54 ERA going into Saturday's start against Detroit. With the White Sox 13 1/2 games behind Minnesota in the AL Central, he could be available in the right deal.

"You can never have too many pitchers," Torre said. "If we go out there and wind up with a pitcher and have an abundance of pitching, we can make another deal. That's a nice problem to have. With El Duque, he'll be missing for a while whether it's surgery or not surgery."

Torre downplayed suggestions that he didn't not get along with Wells during their two years together in New York.

Wells went 34-14 with the Yankees, pitching a perfect game in 1998 and going 4-0 during the postseason that year to lead the Yankees to a World Series title.

But he was traded to Toronto before the 1999 season in a package for Roger Clemens.

"We had our disagreements, but when he left here it wasn't that we were looking to trade David Wells," Torre said. "Clemens became available and it took David Wells to make the deal. We weren't shopping him.

"He's a colorful character, a cartoon character. I respect him a great deal, the way he goes about his business."