Joe Girardi being cautious with injured Nick Swisher

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Nick Swisher said Sunday his strained left hip flexor didn't feel nearly as stiff as it did Saturday, but Joe Girardi's inclination still is to play it cautious with the rightfielder.

"My guess is we won't have him in Seattle and I hope to get him back after that," Girardi said before Sunday's game. "That's still something, we have to see how it heals."

Swisher injured himself running out a ground ball in the seventh inning Friday.

The Yankees start a three-game series in Seattle Monday. After a day off Thursday, they start a three-game series against the Red Sox on Friday at the Stadium.

"With the off day, it buys you an extra day and Tuesday night to Wednesday [a day game] is a quick turnaround, so it's not something where you want it to become a lot more than it is because you rush him back."

Day off for Derek

Girardi's intention was to give Derek Jeter a full day off Sunday, though he did insert the shortstop for defense in the bottom of the eighth. Jeter struck out looking in his one at-bat, in the 10th.

"It was hot playing at home, we had a long flight out here, where he's played three days in a row, I've only DH'd him once , he played in the All-Star Game," Girardi said before the game. "I thought today was a good day."

Joba update

RHP Joba Chamberlain threw a side session Sunday and is scheduled to make his fifth rehab appearance Tuesday in Tampa. If that goes well, Chamberlain very well could be sent out again Wednesday, with the reliever's ability to appear in back-to-back games among the final obstacles he needs to clear before being activated.