With Austin suspended,

IT MAY ONLY be a short window of opportunity, but Neil Walker needs to take advantage of it — more so for himself than for the Yankees, who have managed just fine despite his struggles at the plate.

With Tyler Austin beginning his reduced four-game suspension on Friday, Walker will probably start all of those games at first base for the Bombers, Aaron Boone confirmed.

“To this point — from a personal standpoint — I just haven’t been good,” Walker said. “And that’s where my focus is, trying to get back on track. I’m in a winning environment, I know what I’m capable of and that I’m able to help this team, so we’ll see what happens.”

No. 2 catcher Austin Romine will likely serve as the backup at first in case of an emergency. Miguel Andujar has been getting reps at first, but it doesn’t appear the team wants to play him there just yet.

Walker has struggled since signing a one-year, $4 million deal toward the end of the spring, posting 11 hits in 64 at-bats for a .172 batting average. Austin, on the other hand, has thrived with Greg Bird out — hitting both righties and lefties while posting a .991 OPS with five homers and 16 RBIs in 62 at-bats.

“I hope he gets going a little bit. I know he’s going to hit,” Boone said of Walker. “And some of that slow start has been the result of other guys really getting going and maybe a normal matchup where he’d usually start he hasn’t played. Hopefully some regular at-bats will get him rolling as well. It’s nothing I’m worried about.”

The switch-hitting Walker, 32, had an .801 OPS last season splitting time between the Mets and Brewers, while feasting against right-handed pitching when healthy. But that hasn’t been the case thus far in The Bronx, where he started behind due to his lack of reps during the spring and was dealing with some “hip stuff” last week, according to Boone.

“I’m not going to use anything