Beltre plans surgery
Sports Network | September 14, 2008
Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Seattle Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre will undergo season-ending surgery on his left thumb and shoulder on September 18.
Beltre plans to play in his final game of the 2008 season Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
He will undergo the double procedure Thursday in Seattle, with the thumb surgery performed by Dr. Carlton Keck and the shoulder surgery by Mariners Medical Director Dr. Edward Khalfayan.
"There was no question on whether Adrian was going to need surgery, it was just a matter of when," said Mariners vice president & general manager of baseball operations Lee Pelekoudas. "He has had a great year and really played through some tough circumstances. He is such a competitor that he wanted to finish the season. Since the thumb surgery will have roughly a four month recovery, having this surgery now will give him a two-week cushion to fully recover leading up to spring training."
Beltre, 29, is batting .268 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI in 142 games this season. He has recorded his third consecutive season of 25-or-more home runs and the fourth of his career.
In four seasons with the Mariners, Beltre has batted .267 with 95 home runs and 352 RBI in 603 games.
