"Billy Wagner could return from the disabled list as early as Tuesday. But without an opportunity to pitch for Class A Brooklyn, it appears he may have to wait even longer to get his old job back.

The Cyclones had their season finale rained out Saturday by Tropical Storm Hanna, and Brooklyn already had been eliminated from playoff contention Friday night, so that wiped out any chance of a minor-league rehab game for Wagner. Now it's looking like a simulated game is next.

Manager Jerry Manuel said Friday that Wagner would need an inning at Brooklyn to be immediately reinstated as closer. Otherwise, Wagner is likely to be used somewhere in middle relief until Manuel can be sure he is ready again for the closer's role. He has not pitched for the Mets since Aug. 3, when he suffered his seventh blown save, a career high for a full season.

Wagner was the only Met to show up Saturday at Shea and still squeezed in a throwing session before Hanna arrived. As for a possibly reduced role, Wagner didn't seem to mind.

"I want to help the team. I want to win," Wagner said. "Do I want to close? Yes, that's what I've always done. But right now, we're two games up and my job is to get healthy, throw a good inning and build on that and help us win. I can't sit there and in all honesty say I should be closing when I haven't thrown enough in a game in, I guess, a month."

Wagner said that he "didn't feel all that great" during Friday's bullpen session, but was encouraged by Saturday's short program.

Though the inflammation in his left elbow has dissipated to some degree, Wagner also realizes that it may be a struggle for the remainder of the season.

"We know it's not going to be a comfortable situation where I'm going to be pain-free or anything like that," Wagner said. "It's suck it up and go out there and see what you can give us.""