CLEVELAND -- Closer Mariano Rivera will test his strained shoulder with a game of catch in the bullpen on Wednesday, a session that will be monitored closely by the New York Yankees.

"We'll see how it feels,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said Tuesday. "If it doesn't feel right, then we'll to think about shutting him down for a while. We're not going to take a chance.''

The disabled list is a possibility, but Rivera said his shoulder is already improving.

"I'm all right,'' he said before Tuesday's game against the Indians. "If everything is fine tomorrow, that's a good sign.''

Rivera's shoulder tightened up after he made just six pitches on Saturday against the Boston Red Sox. An MRI taken Monday revealed the strain, but no other damage.

Rivera said if he has problems on Wednesday then the DL is an option.

"Maybe we would consider that,'' he said. "We just have to be careful and make sure everything is all right. I don't want to do anything to hurt myself or my team.''

Rivera is 1-4 with a 3.06 ERA and 24 saves in 28 chances this season.

With Rivera sidelined, Torre said he'll use Steve Karsay and Mike Stanton in closing situations.