Instead of sailing into the Greek Fleet Xerxes calmly decides to wait them out as Queen Artemisia of Caria suggested.
Sending the Egyptian Squadron to block the west channel as OTL, Xerxes then uses the Island of Pysttaleia as a pivot point and base from which to block in the Greek fleet, while he used his numbers superiority to land troops elsewhere as needed.
Xerxes is taking a bit of a risk here, but figures that though some problems may arise at home they would be even worse if returns without a decisive victory with which to attract more recruits to his forces.
End result is a strategic death blow to the Greek Fleet if they stay or sail out as Xerxes isn't going to come into the restricted channel to fight them.