Only Torre would see that as a problem. And Wednesday night, he did something about it. In the process, he lost the game and wore down the one pitcher he can’t afford to lose.

It was against the Devil Rays, a team George Steinbrenner hates to lose to. Chien-Ming Wang pitched seven solid innings, leaving with a 2-2 tie. Farnsworth, as the script calls for, pitched a brilliant eighth — three up, three down, two strikeouts, 12 pitches thrown.

The Yankees did not score in the bottom of the eighth, and logic — and strategy — dictated that Farnsworth, who hadn’t pitched in four days, go back out to pitch another inning.

Instead, Torre brought Rivera into a tie game. And, when the Yankees didn’t score in the bottom of the ninth, Torre sent him out to pitch another inning.

Rivera ended up throwing 38 pitches and giving up two runs and the game. And he should never have been on the mound at all.

The only person who can’t seem to understand that is the one person who should — Torre.

Torre has never been accused of being a great game strategist, and with the lineup he has, he doesn’t need to be. Over the years, he’s lived by the mantra: When in doubt, bring in Mo. Doesn’t matter if it’s April, July or September, if Torre wants a win — and when you work for George Steinbrenner, losses aren’t an option — he brings Rivera in.

Rivera’s job is to get three outs in the ninth and save wins. When he is given that job, he’s spectacular.

When things fall apart is when Torre uses him to pitch two innings or brings him in with a five-run lead or uses him to preserve a tie when he has other options.

This isn’t a secret. Everybody knows it. In previous years, you could watch Mo wear down as Torre started pitching him too much. Last year, you could see him stay strong when he wasn’t overworked.

So this year, with Farnsworth and other bullpen additions, it’s not supposed to be an issue. Rivera is there for one inning at a time when he’s needed to save the game. Not to protect a tie. Not to finish a six-run victory. Not to do anything but see to it that a lead of one to three runs is a guaranteed victory.

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But with Torre, who has never shown any confidence in any reliever except Rivera, even something that simple becomes complicated. So he gave up on Farnsworth, who was brilliant. And he went to his security blanket, Rivera. And when the Yanks couldn’t score, he went to him again.

He lost the game, maybe lost Rivera for the next game, put 38 more pitches on an aging arm that’s going to be desperately needed in September and, the team hopes, October.

People keep saying how brilliant Torre is. But, as we saw Wednesday, saying it doesn’t make it so.

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