A compression wrap on Roger Clemens’ right forearm covered a bump, seam marks from a baseball and skin that was black and blue. It was designed to chase the swelling out of the arm. And while the Rocket and the Yankees don’t think the injury Clemens suffered Opening Day is serious, he didn’t throw his normal bullpen session yesterday and won’t take his regular turn Saturday against the Blue Jays.

“I believe I am going Sunday, but you guys are asking the wrong person,” Clemens said outside the Yankees’ clubhouse yesterday afternoon. “That’s what I have heard, but if for some reason Duque can’t, I will go Saturday.”

Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez returned to the club yesterday and tested his cranky right elbow in a bullpen session. He is slated to start Saturday so that Clemens can have another day of rest in order to get the fluid completely out of the bruised area.

Clemens took a shot off Carlos Febles’ bat leading off the eighth inning Monday and stayed around long enough to fan Joe Randa in the ninth to pass Walter Johnson on the all-time AL strikeout list and then split. Clemens bagged the 7-3 win.

There was enough fluid in the arm that Clemens’ arm was heavily wrapped yesterday and the medical staff didn’t want him throwing. He did everything else, including working his lower body in the weight room. However, no tests were taken and none is slated.

“No X-rays,” Clemens said. “If it was broke, I would have more pain than that.”

Instead of throwing in the bullpen yesterday, Clemens will test the arm today provided he can grip the ball correctly.

“I still have a ballmark on there. It’s typical when you get hit by a comebacker,” Clemens said. “With the off day, I get the extra day.”

Since Clemens doesn’t like messing with the four days of rest routine, the problem is a little more than nothing. Historically, he has been far too strong on five days’ rest.

And if it develops into something deeper, the Yankees won’t hesitate to keep the future Hall of Famer out until it completely subsides.

“It’s a bruise and I don’t think it will require anything more than an extra day,” Torre said. “If it’s more than that, we do it. As far as any plan of long-term problem, no.”

As for the flap over whether Clemens broke or tied Walter Johnson’s AL strikeout mark Monday, he is going with Elias Sports Bureau’s call that has him one whiff ahead of Big Train’s 3,508 mark.

“The guys from the Hall of Fame were here so that’s the one that stands,” Clemens said.

After pitching in a simulated game Monday in Tampa, El Duque said he is ready to work whenever the Yankees want him to.

“I did my job, I threw all my pitches,” said El Duque, who hasn’t faced major league hitters since March 9 when he was lifted from a game with what was described as a fatigued elbow. “When given the chance, I will pitch.”

Asked if he was completely healthy, El Duque left open the door a bit.

“I think, yes,” El Duque said.

Even though El Duque missed the Opening Day festivities, he won’t miss a start. For that, he is grateful.

“That’s the reason I am here, it’s important for me and the team,” El Duque said. “That’s why I am here, to help the team.”

When El Duque takes the mound Saturday, Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre will be watching closely. Especially since they believe the problem may have resulted from El Duque pushing the speed gun to 93 mph on March 9.

“We will keep an eye on how much he will be able to pitch length-wise,” Torre said. “But he has thrown all of his pitches.”