Jacoby Ellsbury has expressed optimism that a strained oblique will not cost him any time once the regular season begins in three weeks.

"It feels a lot better already, so I guess we'll take a few days and see how it feels," Ellsbury said. "The good thing now, we're in spring training and these games don't count, so I can give it time to let it get 100 percent. I feel very confident that I'll be there Opening Day ready to play."

Ellsbury had not been seen in the New York Yankees clubhouse since Sunday.

Last spring, he suffered a calf strain in mid-March and did not play again until Opening Day.