SEATTLE – Third baseman Adrian Beltre, whose 2008 season was cut short because of bone spurs in his left shoulder, will need surgery to correct the same issue some time this year – news that could mean missing much of the next few months.

The issue isn’t “if” Beltre will need an operation to remove bone spurs that have regrown in the same place, it’s “when.”

“It’s the same thing I had last year, bone spurs, only it’s worse. I had X-rays (Tuesday) and they’ve grown back, in the same place,” Beltre said. “I think they’re worse this year.

“I’m going to need surgery, now or later. It’s a matter of how long I can play with the pain.”

Team trainer Rick Griffin acknowledged the inevitability of taking care of the spurs.

“If he had surgery today, he wouldn’t miss the whole season,” Griffin said, “but it wouldn’t be a short rehab, either. Can he play through it? He couldn’t the other day. We’ll have to see.

“It’s Adrian’s call.”

The Gold Glove infielder, in the final year of his contract and considered a valuable entity as the trade deadline approaches, may now be untradable.

“If I lift my arm, it’s there. If I raise my arm over my head, it’s there. If my swing raises my arm, it’s there,” Beltre said. “Any time I dive for a ball, the pain is there.

“I want to keep playing. I’m going to keep playing and see what happens.”

Griffin empathizes with Beltre.

“One of the dangers when you shave the bone down with bone spurs is they grow back. That’s what happened,” Griffin said.

Team doctors have assured Beltre he is not risking further injury – just greater pain – by continuing to play. Among the dilemmas he faces is whether to have surgery during the season to assure interested teams that he’ll be healthy by next spring.

A free agent this fall, Beltre doesn’t want to cheat the Seattle Mariners of anything, but doesn’t want to risk waiting until the season ends and putting questions in the minds of teams that might pursue him.

“There’s nothing I can do about the pain except try to play with it,” Beltre said.

Waiting on Lopez

The Mariners were still awaiting the arrival of Jose Lopez at game time. He has returned from Venezuela, where he was on bereavement leave because of the death of his sister.

“It depends upon his mental state, but we’d like to get Jose back on the field (today) if he’s ready for it,” manager Don Wakamatsu said.

Short hops

Ken Griffey Jr. had a three-hit game Tuesday, moving his career total to 2,721 hits – tying him with Lou Gehrig for 52nd on baseball’s all-time list. Griffey’s next double will be No. 513 and will tie him with Edgar Martinez for 39th, all-time. … Ichiro Suzuki had 98 hits in his first 62 games this season, and 31 of those were infield singles. … Reliever Shawn Kelley will be sent to Arizona to pitch Saturday and Monday in rookie league games, then will be assigned to pitch on a rehabilitation assignment. The Mariners are taking their time with Kelley, but the right-hander wants to be back in Seattle before the All-Star break.

On tap

Seattle completes its series with San Diego with a 1:40 p.m. game today that will be televised on FSN. Probable starting pitchers are Wade LeBlanc (0-0, 9.00 ERA) for San Diego vs. Jarrod Washburn (3-5, 3.24).

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com

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