St. Louis ? Pittsburgh pitcher Kris Benson went on the 15-day disabled list Monday, a week after he took himself out of the rotation because his right shoulder was bothering him.

The right-hander would have started tonight against San Diego in Pittsburgh.

To fill his roster spot, Pittsburgh purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Jim Mann from Triple-A Nashville.

“It’s not worth my career to continue to throw,” Benson said. “It’s not in my best interest to keep going out there feeling the way I’m feeling. … If I have to have something done (surgically), I have to do it now.”

Benson plans to seek opinions from two doctors not on the Pirates’ staff.

General manager Dave Littlefield said Benson’s problem was “minor irritation” in the shoulder. Manager Lloyd McClendon was visibly unhappy with Benson’s decision not to pitch.

“My concentration and my energies are on the guys who want to go out and perform and help us win,” McClendon said. “Other than that, I don’t worry about things I don’t have control over.”