Kansas City, Mo. ? Mariano Rivera will miss the New York Yankees’ three-game series with Kansas City this week because of a muscle strain near his right elbow but could be back by the weekend.

Rivera pitched Wednesday and Thursday against Detroit, then missed the series against Minnesota.

“I want to stay away from him,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said Monday. “We’re going to try to push it as long as we can. We’re progressing, and it’s feeling better. But I guess the longer we can keep him down, the better it will be.”

The 36-year-old Rivera, in his 10th season as the Yankees’ closer, had an MRI exam before pitching last Thursday. He is 5-5 with 33 saves in 36 chances and a 1.90 earned-run average.

After this series, the Yankees go to Baltimore for a four-game series that starts Friday.

“Maybe the weekend,” Torre said when asked his target date for Rivera’s return. “It’s not scary only because when they took all the tests, there’s nothing structurally wrong. So now it’s just a matter of getting treatment, having it quiet down, basically. When he pitches, it doesn’t hurt. It’s after.”

Rivera said there were no plans to consult a doctor again.

“I saw him already, and everything was fine,” he said. “I feel better. Feeling real good.”