BALTIMORE -- As he collected himself following a violent collision at first base last week, Didi Gregorius knew that he probably wouldn't avoid the disabled list, but the Yankees shortstop is pleasantly surprised that his stint could be a short one.
"I'm just a little sore, but who's going to be healthy 100 percent when they're playing this game?" Gregorius said on Friday. "It's way better than it's supposed to be. I think that's a good step forward."
Gregorius bruised his left heel in a first-inning crash with the Blue Jays' Kendrys Morales on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. Gregorius rode a stationary bicycle and played catch on Friday at Camden Yards, adding that he is expected to resume swinging a bat when the team returns home Monday.
If he continues to improve at this rate, Gregorius believes he could return to the lineup when eligible on Thursday or shortly after.
"You don't want to play with injuries, but things happen during the game and there's only so much you can control," Gregorius said. "[With] no setbacks or nothing, I'll just be ready to go when I'm ready to go."
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team has not decided if Minor League rehab games will be necessary for the 28-year-old Gregorius, who is batting .270/.333/.482 with 22 homers and 74 RBIs in 118 games.
"I would say we're encouraged where he's at, just because the swelling that's gotten out of there, the way he's walking around, the improvements that he's made every day," Boone said.
'Missile' grounded
Albertin Chapman received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left knee on Friday, and Boone said the left-hander will be evaluated in two weeks. Chapman was placed on the disabled list with left knee tendinitis after exiting the Yankees' 2-1, 12-inning win over the Marlins on Tuesday.
"We're optimistic that he'll return in an impact way this season at some point," Boone said. "In a lot of ways, [the exam] went a little better than the doc thought. ... This is not just two weeks of not doing anything. He'll start to play catch at some point later next week, but I think we'll re-evaluate where we are from a time frame in two weeks."

Boone said the prospect of offseason surgery has not been raised with Chapman, who has been dealing with the knee issue since at least May.
"Obviously he was in pretty good pain the other night, and hopefully this little time out is something that can help freshen him up and get him back rolling for us before the end of the season," Boone said.
Comeback trail
• Gary Sanchez (right groin strain) is scheduled to play in a Gulf Coast League game as a designated hitter on Saturday, then will work out in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday before joining Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for Monday's game at Lehigh Valley. Sanchez could rejoin the Yankees prior to the road trip that opens Sept. 3 at Oakland, Boone said.
• Aaron Judge (right wrist fracture) has not resumed swinging a bat. Boone said he is "optimistic that it will happen at some point, but when that is, we've stopped guessing on that."
• Clint Frazier (post-concussion migraines) is continuing baseball activities at the Yankees' complex in Tampa. Boone said it is "certainly possible" that Frazier could play in September big league games.
This date in Yankees history
Aug. 24, 1988 -- The Yankees rally for five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun the Athletics with a 7-6 victory, riding seven singles and a three-run Ken Phelps homer to tie the contest. Rickey Henderson delivered the game-winning hit with two outs, driving home Luis Aguayo.