Mark Teixeira sits with tight hamstring

Add a left hamstring to Mark Teixeira's extensive injury history this season, though it doesn't appear serious.

Joe Girardi kept the first baseman out of Monday night's game with what Teixeira described as "tightness" in his left hamstring, something he first felt "Thursday or Friday" running the bases.

Teixeira was quick to say, however, he fully expects to be in the lineup Tuesday night in Detroit for the start of a three-game series against the Tigers. "Oh yeah," he said. "And I'm available to pinch hit [Monday night]."

It was a decision made, Teixeira said, by Girardi.

"Joe came in today and told me I was off, which was good, my hammy's been real tight," he said. "Kind of a good opportunity with this long stretch to give it a day of rest. I wasn't expecting it [the day off], but it was probably a good time to give it a little rest."

Teixeira, who has already missed time this season because of a right hamstring strain, inflammation in his surgically repaired right wrist, a left lat strain and a laceration on his left pinkie, said he's more cognizant now of what his body is telling him than earlier in his career. "When you're younger, you play through them and you don't have a problem," he said. "Sometimes you play through it and it pops and you're out for a while. You just want to make sure you take care of them."

Gardner improving

Brett Gardner missed a second straight game with a sore right ankle, an injury that occurred Saturday when he fouled a ball off it.

"I feel a lot better today than I did yesterday," he said. "I'm encouraged by the way it feels today. Hopefully I can do some things on it today and be back to full speed tomorrow."

Said Girardi: "We're hoping for tomorrow. If it's not tomorrow, I would think the next day."

Tanaka: Rehab game?

Girardi said if Masahiro Tanaka (elbow) gets through Thursday's three-inning simulated game OK, "it's possible" the next step for the righthander would be a rehab game. Because the club's minor-league seasons will be done by then, Tanaka's rehab game would either be in Tampa against Yankees' minor leaguers or in New York against teammates.

Beltran back in field soon

Carlos Beltran, who lasted all of two games in the outfield before his right elbow flared up, could see time in right in the coming days. "I'll probably pick a day here," Girardi said. "I'll continually talk to him but I'll pick a day here and put him out there if I feel one of our guys could use a DH day."