Vazquez could be in bullpen the rest of the season

ARLINGTON, Texas - Javier Vazquez may have made his last start of the season Friday, and he seemed to know it.

Joe Girardi declined to name his starters beyond the Tampa Bay series, which didn't bode well for Vazquez. With Andy Pettitte expected to start Sunday - assuming he gets through Tuesday night's rehab start in Altoona, Pa., OK - and Ivan Nova continuing to pitch well, someone has to sit.

"Obviously, we have six starters right now when Andy gets back," Vazquez said. "Guys that are throwing the best are probably going to get the starts, obviously." That would relegate Vazquez (10-9, 5.09 ERA) to the bullpen, where he was available Sunday and will be again Monday night.

"I can help the team out of the bullpen, too," Vazquez said, though he said he hopes to make his next start. He would like to know for sure what his role is going to be. "Obviously, when you're sent to the bullpen, it is a demotion. If I was pitching great, it wouldn't be an issue, so I'm to blame.'' He said it's tough not knowing, "but again, if I was pitching great, it wouldn't even come up."

Swisher scratched

Nick Swisher's frustration is mounting. He was in the original lineup but was a late scratch because of his sore left knee and was replaced by Greg Golson. "It's just not getting any better," Swisher said. "I don't know what we have to do, but I have to get healthy. It's starting to affect other parts of my game . . . I can't be out there chasing a ball in the gap on one leg."

Extra bases

Brett Gardner, removed from Saturday's game in the sixth with pain in his right wrist - which has periodically cropped up since he was hit by a pitch June 27 - will have an MRI Monday in Tampa. "Just to make sure that everything checks out OK in there," Girardi said . . . Alex Rodriguez received the day off because the first two games of the series took nearly 10 hours to play. Girardi hopes to play A-Rod all three games against the Rays . . . Girardi would not say if he pulled aside Derek Jeter, in a 7-for-61 slump entering the game, for any kind of talk recently. "Personal situations like that I don't discuss," he said.