Giants’ Zito gets demoted to bullpen

Barry Zito was demoted to the bullpen Monday by the San Francisco Giants, who hope the former ace can correct his problems by working in relief.

Zito, who only 16 months ago signed a $126-million, seven-year contract with the Giants to lead their rotation, was informed of the move in a meeting with Manager Bruce Bochy.

“I’m certainly not happy with it, by any means,” Zito said. “But this is the bed that I’ve made. I have to lay in it for the time being and I have to overcome. I trust management and I trust what their decisions are.”

The left-hander has lost his first six starts this season and has a 7.53 earned-run average. The 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner with Oakland, Zito lasted three innings against the Reds and was booed frequently by the crowd at AT&T; Park during his shortest outing of the year.

“It’s good sometimes just to back off,” Bochy said. “It’s happened to a lot of great players, position players and even pitchers. We just felt at this point it’s time for him to sit back, miss a start and help us in the pen.”

Zito’s next turn in the rotation would have been Saturday in Philadelphia. Instead, the Giants plan to use Pat Misch against the Phillies.

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Texas Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock has a small tear in his left hamstring and will be out at least three weeks. The Rangers will put Blalock on the 15-day disabled list before they resume their six-game homestand tonight.

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Two-time All-Star catcher Mike Lieberthal, who hasn’t played this season and spent last year with the Dodgers, will retire with the Phillies on June 1. . . . The Reds optioned pitcher Todd Coffey to triple-A Louisville and called up left-hander Bill Bray.