TAMPA, Fla. — Andy Pettitte will miss his first scheduled start of the regular season on April 2 against Toronto because of back spasms.

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi expects Pettitte will start the third or fourth game instead.

"He's better," Girardi said today.

Pettitte was slated to throw off a bullpen mound Wednesday. If that goes well, he would pitch in a minor league game Saturday.

"I'm planning on it," Pettitte said. "But again, like I've said, if I start playing catch and feel like I may not be able to do it and be comfortable with it, or I feel like I might aggravated it, I'll wait one more day. It would be stupid to try to force something right now when I've got extra days to play with."

Chien-Ming Wang is to start Monday's opener and be followed in the rotation by Mike Mussina.

Pettitte played catch for the second straight day Tuesday, making 42 throws during a six-minute session.

"I still feel it a little bit, but it feels a lot better than it did yesterday," Pettitte said. "Definitely feel like I could get out over my front side a little bit more. The good thing today is that I felt like it loosened up as I threw. I threw a little bit harder today. I definitely feel like it's progressing. That's a positive."

In other news, left-hander Sean Henn, slowed by a sore left shoulder, was expected to pitch in a minor league game Wednesday.