NEW YORK -- An upbeat Miguel Andujar reported to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, one day after the New York Yankees third baseman was placed on the 10-day injured list because of a serious shoulder injury.
Season-ending surgery to repair the small labrum tear in Andujar's right shoulder could be an option. So could simple rest and rehab. The latter would get him back on the field at some point later this season.
"The plan right now is to do physical therapy for the next couple [weeks]. We'll see where we're going to be after that," Andujar said through an interpreter. "The good thing is that I feel good, I feel better, and throughout the whole thing, you have to have positive thoughts. That's very important."
Manager Aaron Boone echoed those optimistic sentiments.
"We're in the very early stages, so it's just got to play out over the next few days, and then as he starts ramping back up, it'll become clear," Boone said. "Try not to speculate on it too much right now when it's a bit of an unknown."
One reason both men are encouraged about Andujar's recovery is the strength of the 24-year-old's shoulder. In the 24 hours since an MRI revealed the tear, he has already been put through his share of physical activities to test it.
So far, he's been passing.
"The physical test on my shoulder came back with good results," Andujar said. "My strength is there.
"That's encouraging. I feel good. I feel positive. I feel that the first step is the right step, which is to do physical therapy and see where we are in a couple of weeks."
Andujar experienced the tear when he was diving back into third base while standing near the bag as a baserunner in the fourth inning of Sunday's loss at home to the Baltimore Orioles. Even after what he called the "weird" headfirst slide, he finished the game.
Despite some discomfort the rest of that evening, Andujar didn't think he had been seriously hurt.
While the Yankees wait to figure out exactly how Andujar's recovery will progress, they could soon get back two of the other injured stars also on their stacked IL.
Boone said Tuesday that lefty starter CC Sabathia, who is recovering from offseason knee and heart procedures, is "close" to concluding his rehab. Sabathia threw a four-inning, 49-pitch sim game at the team's facility in Tampa, Florida, on Monday.
According to Boone, the veteran has one more start to make before coming off the IL and rejoining the team. Sometime shortly thereafter, reliever Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement) ought to come off the IL, too. Betances has been throwing bullpen sessions in Tampa, and should soon begin facing live hitters. Once that happens, his return will move quickly, Boone said.
Starter Luis Severino (right rotator cuff inflammation) hasn't progressed quite as much as those two, the manager added. Severino still hasn't begun throwing off a mound. Of late in Tampa, he has been working only on long tossing from flat ground.