TORONTO – Jason Giambi’s wrist is barking again.

While Giambi isn’t ready for a third spike of cortisone in less than three weeks and said the pain isn’t as bad as it was the first time he felt it, he had to be removed from last night’s 6-3 win over the Blue Jays because of it.

“It’s frustrating because I thought it was coming back,” Giambi said.

Giambi received a cortisone shots on Aug. 31 and Sept. 9.

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Derek Jeter had a compression wrap on his right hand thanks to getting hit by a pitch in the first inning. While Jeter said he was OK, Joe Torre said he was going to give Jeter tonight off.

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Mariano Rivera was pleased with a 30-pitch bullpen session yesterday in which he threw the last 15 pitches harder than he first 15.

“I am excited,” said Rivera, who hasn’t been in a game since Aug. 31 due to a strained right forearm.

With tomorrow dark, the first chance he will get to return is Friday against the Devil Rays in St. Petersburg.

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One batting session against Ron Guidry was good enough for the Yankees to activate Gary Sheffield from the DL yesterday.

“It went very well,” Torre said. Sheffield hit three homers, all in to the second deck of Rogers Centre.

For the second straight day Sheffield worked extensively at first base, the position he could start at in the postseason.