Mike Piazza could be swinging a bat by the end of the weekend.

Piazza, who’s recovering from a torn groin muscle, was asked yesterday when he could start hitting. While reluctant to put a specific timetable on it at first, Piazza later said that team doctor Andrew Rokito could clear him to start swinging “in the next three or four days.”

Piazza also revealed that he has started throwing “a little bit,” doing upper body work and running lightly.

“The last thing for me is getting into explosive starts and stops and out of the crouch, and initially doing the thing that I hurt it doing,” he said. “From there, it’s pretty much good to go.”

The next step will be to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, although Piazza has no idea when that would begin. It’s still unlikely he’ll be able to return before mid-to-late July.