New York Mets pitcher Jeremy Hefner may have Tommy John surgery

Jeremy Hefner, starting pitcher for the New York Mets, may need Tommy John surgery to recover from his elbow injury, but he’s expected to get a second opinion.

From Adam Rubin of ESPN New York:

"Tommy John surgery recovery usually lasts 12 months or more and would knock out Hefner for much if not all of the 2014 season.“I don’t know how serious a possibility, but we have not been able to rule that out at this point,” [Mets general manager Sandy] Alderson said."

Rubin also reports that he will be meeting with a second doctor on Monday, hoping that there will be another way to repair his elbow and avoid missing a whole season.

The right-handed starter left after five innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 9th, giving up eight hits and four runs. He’s given up six or more hits in four of his last five starts, including 10 hits in just two innings against the Philadelphia Phillies back on July 19th.

This is just Hefner’s second season in the majors, and it would be a horrible blow to his young career to have Tommy John surgery. But perhaps if needed he can take the year off to recover and get his career back on track.

Hefner has started in 23 games this season and has a 4.34 ERA.