New York Yankees place Carlos Beltran on 15-day DL

If Carlos Beltran requires surgery, he could be out as long as eight weeks. (Al Bello/Getty) The New York Yankees have placed outfielder Carlos Beltran on the

If Carlos Beltran requires surgery, he could be out as long as eight weeks. (Al Bello/Getty)

The New York Yankees have placed outfielder Carlos Beltran on the 15-day disabled list with a bone spur in his right elbow.

Beltran originally tried to play through the injury after an MRI revealed the spur earlier in the week. It is not yet known whether the injury will require surgery, but if it does, the expected recovery timetable is six to eight weeks.

In 33 games this season, Beltran is hitting just .234 with five home runs.

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Ichiro Suzuki will likely become the primary right fielder during Beltran's stint on the DL.

Beltran signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Yankees this offseason. New York's hope was that he would team with fellow free agent signings Jacoby Ellsbury and Brian McCann to help return New York to the postseason. The Yankees are 20-19 and half a game out of first place in the A.L. East.