It sure sounds as if Roger Clemens is not going to pitch again until after the All-Star break.

There was nothing official or committal from the Yankees last night, but it was not difficult to connect the dots while listening to Joe Torre.

The team has no intention of taking anything resembling a gamble on its 39-year old pitcher, who is slowed by a sore right leg he first hurt against the Mets.

“The whole thing is his health,” Torre said. “We can’t have him go out there and be a hero, especially when we’re not up against it. We relied on him too many times when we had nobody else to pitch, but we have other people.”

All the talk about him missing a start, Clemens decided, was mere speculation, and he did not want to hear much about that line of thinking. Clemens is scheduled for one more start before the All-Star break, but the Yankees are expected to err on the side of caution and instruct Clemens to stay off the mound.

“I don’t think I missed yet this year,” Clemens said last night, “so hopefully I won’t.”

Clemens never wants to miss a start, but at his age, despite his supreme physical condition, bumps and bruises and pulls and aches accompany him on his journey to the Hall of Fame more prominently than before.

Battling Tuesday night against the Indians in 95-degree heat, Clemens lasted only five innings and 74 pitches before giving way to a right leg that cramped up. The extreme heat surely could have been a factor in the early exit, but whatever the cause, Clemens after a night of rest did not sound certain of his status.

“It’s not bad, not bad at all, actually,” he said before the Yankees faced the Indians at Yankee Stadium. “I think it’s a little tired, that’s it.”

Clemens is supposed to start Sunday against the Blue Jays in the final game before the All-Star break. If he cannot make that start, Torre said Ted Lilly would be the replacement and Clemens likely would start July 11 in Cleveland, the first game after the break.

“I’ve had problems and stuff with my body, sometimes you need to work through it, sometimes you need to back off, I just have to make that judgment,” Clemens said.

A factor in either pushing Clemens forward or else holding him back was how much of his usual preparation he could do with his “tired” right leg.

The Yankees are rolling and do not need for Clemens to rush himself, as they are focused in on making sure their senior citizen pitcher is ready and able down the stretch and, more important, in the post-season.

“He’s in great shape, so the little things that do crop up he can take care of,” Torre said. “But there are times, probably because of his age, he may need an extra day here or there. He can assure me he’s fine and I’ll believe him. What he has to understand, just to make a start we don’t want to take the chance of hurting him further.

“Age has never been a factor for him, but every once in a while you got to step back and spoil yourself by not working so hard.”

There’s no doubt Clemens looks as if he could use a few days off. He has won only one game in his last eight starts.

“It’s not about wins, as long as we win it’s good enough,” Clemens said. “I’m not too worried about wins right now, as long as we win.”