DETROIT Not only does Jazz Chisholm Jr. believe he will avoid surgery, he thinks he on the injured list. The Yankees may ultimately decide to pump the brakes slightly on Chisholms plan for a speedy return from a left UCL sprain, but the third baseman was encouraged Friday by how he was feeling including not experiencing any pain since Monday, when he sustained the injury. Its 100 percent realistic in my mind that at the end of the 10 days Ill be back, Chisholm said after playing catch at Comerica Park. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is on the Yankees injured list after hurting his elbow. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST , but playing catch was the first kind of baseball activity Chisholm has done after taking the last few days to receive treatment and strengthen the area around the ligament. Quentin Musty Jersey The real test will be seeing how Chisholm responds to swinging a bat, which he believes could happen in the next few days. Me knowing myself, I really wanted to rush into it and start swinging a couple days ago, Chisholm said. But right now, Im just going to go with the training staff. Were probably going to start swinging in a day or two. Explore More Chisholm has taken an optimistic view on his injury from the start, even saying Monday night he was not super-concerned about it before an MRI on Tuesday revealed the sprain. He is not expected to receive any injections and sounded confident that surgery will not ultimately be required. Jazz Chisholm Jr. slides into the plate during the Yankees-White Sox game on Aug. 12. 2024. Getty Images Were definitely going to avoid surgery, Chisholm said. The only way wed have to get surgery is if it gets worse, and right now, its looking better every day. Aaron Boone took a more cautiously optimistic approach, saying the Yankees wont know for sure until Chisholm is back playing and going full-bore. Hes got really good strength and range of motion, Boone said. So itll be that treatment to get all the sorene s out of there and then hopefully start introducing baseball activities and see how that ramp-up goes. Hopefully its not something thats really long, but we gotta get there. Were in the getting-sorene s-out [stage], but I think the early signs are encouraging. Ty Dellandrea Jersey