CHICAGO (AP) - Carlos Beltran will take swings early next week before the New York Yankees decide if the right fielder needs surgery on his right elbow, manager Joe Girardi said.
The eight-time All-Star got a second opinion Tuesday from Dr. James Andrews after having a second cortisone shot to ease pain from a bone spur.
Girardi said the veteran will take some dry swings or hit off a tee Monday and again Tuesday, assuming there's no pain. From there, he would continue to work his way back.
If he experiences pain, Girardi said the next step would likely be surgery that would keep him out eight to 10 weeks.
"Does he feel that he can take his "A' swing?" the manager said. "You don't want him going out there if he's taking a "B' or "C' swing. That's not going to help us."
He said the Yankees have enough outfielders to "work around" any defensive shortcomings brought on by the injury. The 37-year-old Beltran was hitting .240 with five homers and 15 RBI in his first season with the Yankees before being placed on the 15-day disabled list last week.
Beltran isn't the only prominent Yankees player to meet with Andrews lately.
Pitcher CC Sabathia was examined by him last week and had his injured right knee drained last week. He also received a cortisone and stem cell injection Thursday to treat a degenerative cartilage condition, and the team confirmed Monday that the left-hander will remain sidelined through at least the end of June if not longer.
If the procedure doesn't work, Girardi isn't sure what the next step would be.
"I think you're a long way from that," he said. "You gotta give him six weeks to try to rehab it, get it right. If not, it's something we'll have to talk about with our doctors."
Girardi said Sabathia will have to make some rehab starts before returning. New York also is missing injured starters Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda, forcing the Yankees to go with a makeshift rotation that includes Vidal Nuno, David Phelps and rookie Chase Whitley.