"The Mets now say Gary Sheffield will continue to play on his sore right knee after an exam by team doctors Sunday at Yankee Stadium showed the 41-year-old slugger didn't need an MRI exam.

The sudden about-face came after Sheffield said Saturday he had been bothered by pain behind the knee since late last month and was expecting to have an MRI yesterday.

Jerry Manuel agreed with Sheffield at the time and had claimed that because of the knee, Sheffield's playing status was iffy beyond the interleague series that begins here tonight at Camden Yards.

The Mets, though, now say Sheffield will return to his outfield duties when the Mets get back to NL rules Friday at home against Tampa Bay.

Sheffield, who homered twice in three games as the Mets' DH in the Subway Series over the weekend, will continue in the DH role in the three-game set with the Orioles."