Joba Chamberlain was released from the hospital on Sunday, three days after suffering an open dislocation of his right ankle while playing on a trampoline with his five-year-old son.

Chamberlain will be in a non-weight bearing hard cast for six weeks, and a walking boot after that for an undetermined amount of time, according to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. It is still too early to determine when he could return to a mound.

"So far everything’s coming back extremely positive," Cashman said. "You guys know Joba -- obviously he’s been dealing with a lot, but he’s a healer. He gets hurt, but his healing process is really significant. So we’re counting on that in this case, too."

"I am optimistic that he is gonna pitch for us this year," said manager Joe Girardi, after the Yankees' 1-1 tie with the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

Cashman, who visited Chamberlain in the hospital, was also asked how Chamberlain is feeling. "Down, but I think he’s got persepective at the same time," Cashman said. "His attitude is ... '[I] just have to do what’s necessary to get back to where I need to be, on a personal and professional level.' I think he understands that.

"I think he’s frustrated, he’s sad, he’s all those different things. He’s down, but at the same time he’s a man, he knows what the road ahead is, and he’s not afraid of it. His attitude, I think, is -- I hate to speak for him, but -- is, 'What do I have to do to get back?'"

Cashman also said Chamberlain asked him to do something after leaving the hospital: "He told me to tell everybody thanks for praying for me, and thanks to anybody who’s out there supporting him and wishing him well."