Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Miguel Andujar, the Yankees third baseman, listened to the gently phrased questions about his injured right shoulder and the possibility of having season-ending surgery. He acknowledged the cold truths about torn labra: They can’t heal on their own, and most players who suffer similar ruptures end up on the operating table.
Yes, Andujar said, he gets that. But as he spoke before the Yankees’ 3-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, Andujar dismissed the worst-case scenario, vowing to beat the odds, avoid surgery and return to action within weeks.
If he does so, it would be a rare instance of good fortune for the Yankees, who now have eight players on the 10-day Injured List, including their ace (Luis Severino), circus strong man and home run leader (Giancarlo Stanton), and their front-line shortstop (Didi Gregorius).