Diego Chara

Portland Timbers center midfielder Diego Chara (in white), could be available to play when they Timbers play at New York Saturday. Chara sustained a broken bone in his left hand in the game against Los Angeles May 11 and did not play in the Timbers game against Columbus May 17. Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian

(Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian)

Diego Chara wore a slightly different look during his return to training Tuesday.



The center midfielder wore a cast on his left hand, the aftermath of surgery to repair a broken bone in the hand. The cast could allow Chara to see action when the Timbers play at New York Saturday.



"As long as (the cast) is padded, he's capable of playing," Portland coach Caleb Porter said.



The Timbers will play at New York before traveling to play at Chivas May 28 and the return home for a game against Vancouver June 1. That's a tough stretch of three games in eight days.



The Timbers will need plenty of available and healthy bodies. Porter said the team, which will travel directly to Los Angeles after the game in New York, will likely take 22 players on the road trip.



Chara will be one of those players on the flight to New York.



"With him coming back, we want to see where he's at for New York," Porter said. "I think he'll definitely be available for next week. Whether or not he'll be ready to plug in for New York, we'll have to evaluate that."

-- Geoffrey C. Arnold