MLB

MATSUI SETBACK COULD SIGNAL END OF SEASON

If the Yankees are going to extend their October appearances to 14 straight, it appears they aren’t going to be aided by Hideki Matsui.

And it didn’t sound like GM Brian Cashman views Barry Bonds as a replacement.

Matsui, the clutch-hitting DH/left fielder, experienced swelling in his left knee today when he didn’t take batting practice and will leave Tampa, Fla., to be examined by team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon on Friday in New York.

Though Cashman didn’t definitely say Matsui, who has had the knee drained twice and was taking batting practice at the minor league facility, was headed for surgery, a season-ending procedure looks inevitable.

“At some point you run out of options and there is surgery,” Cashman said on the Yankee Stadium field before the All-Star Game. “We will see how close we are Friday.”

Asked if losing Matsui, who hasn’t played since June 22, for the remainder of the season would lead to signing Bonds, the all-time home run champ who is a free agent, Cashman chose his words carefully.

“I would say any rampant speculation on us involving a player of that magnitude would be extremely premature,” Cashman said. “I would caution everybody to not misunderstand that since I’m not saying no to it, that that means, ‘Oh my gosh, that might be happening down the line.’ It’s not something we’re focused on at this point. We’re focused on getting Hideki Matsui back rather than, you know, what we’re going to do if he’s not back.”

If 44-year-old Bonds plays again — and that is a extreme long shot at this point — it likely will be as a DH.

Joe Girardi has been using Jorge Posada and Jason Giambi as the DH in Matsui’s absence, and Cashman remains interested in free agent first baseman Richie Sexson, who could be used as a DH.

“I’m not going to tell you if we’re pursuing him or not,” Cashman said of Sexson, recently released by Seattle. “I’m sure he’s evaluating whatever his choices are.”

Cashman admitted it doesn’t look good for Matsui.

“It’s a setback,” Cashman said. “The doctors may have a few more tricks up their sleeves, but if they run out of those tricks eventually and it’s not responding, then surgery is the last resort.”

Missing Matsui, who is batting .323 overall and .338 in the clutch, is compounded by left fielder Johnny Damon being out since suffering a bruised and swollen left shoulder on July 4.

“It’s not too good,” Damon told The Post. “Saturday I was thinking I could play a game the next day and then I woke up (Sunday) and it was sore and stiff. Every motion I make, makes it swollen and sore.”

Damon is hopeful he can hit off a batting tee by Friday, but Girardi’s hope of having him back Sunday is not going to happen.

“That’s out,” Girardi said of getting his .319 hitter back Sunday. “But when he comes back it could be as a DH so that should help.”

Damon said, “I’m still kind of down because I know Girardi wants to put me in the lineup on Sunday and I’m not sure we can do that.”

As for Matsui, who has said any surgery would signal the end of his season, he remained hopeful. Yet he understands a second knee surgery inside a calendar year (he had right knee surgery last November) would be troublesome.

“Perhaps you can say it’s a short-term setback,” Matsui told The Associated Press. “You try, believing that you’re going to be able to go back this season. If it comes to the point where I have to decide surgery, then that’s that.”