ANAHEIM – Don’t look for Mariano Rivera in the bullpen tomorrow night when the Yankees play the Rangers in Arlington.

Slated to throw an inning yesterday in the extended spring program in Tampa, Rivera decided his body was too sore, and pushed that assignment back to today against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. He may repeat it Saturday.

Rivera said the soreness wasn’t in the right groin area that’s been bothering him. Instead, it was general body soreness from the inning he worked Monday.

That was Rivera’s first game action since he suffered a right groin injury on March 24 in an exhibition game.

Since he will throw today, that means he wouldn’t be available to pitch tomorrow night, so there is no reason for the Yankees to activate him from the DL.

Since the Yankees are always cautious with injuries, it’s likely they will hold off until next Tuesday to activate Rivera.

“He was sore all over,” minor-league head Gordon Blakeley said yesterday from Tampa. “It’s not in the [groin] area.”

Rivera went through a conditioning program yesterday and wasn’t de pressed about the delay.

“I decided to take another day,” Rivera said. “Today I feel good. If I was feeling hurt, I wouldn’t be pitching. Definitely next week I’ll be there.”

Rivera, who started the season on the 15-day DL with a right groin strain, allowed one hit during a scoreless inning in an extended spring game Monday against Toronto.

“I’m going day by day,” Rivera said. “[Today] is going to be an important day for me, and so is the next day.”

The Yankees were a franchise-best 17-3 going into last night’s game against the Angels despite not having Rivera, Derek Jeter and Steve Karsay.

“They don’t need us,” Rivera joked. “We can go home and relax. They’re playing great. I’m proud.”