DENVER — Gary Sheffield will remain in strictly a pinch-hit role for the foreseeable future, allegedly because his back spasms still aren’t entirely gone.

Sheffield, who still isn’t happy about the Mets’ decision to nix a trade to the contending Giants last month, told Jerry Manuel today that his back remains less than 100 percent.

Manuel indicated yesterday Sheffield might not play in the field the rest of the season. “I don’t know if we’ll get a chance to ever get that right before the end [of the schedule],” Manuel said.

Sheffield is hitting .176 (3-for-17) with no homers or RBIs in the seven games since he begged out of the lineup to “clear his mind” over the Mets’ refusal to trade him.