Jeremy Hefner likely to need Tommy John surgery for elbow

Jeremy Hefner will seek a second opinion on his injured right elbow from renowned orthopedic surgeon James Andrews. But the Mets righthander believes he will eventually require ligament-replacement surgery that could keep him out of the big leagues until 2015.

"It's looking like Tommy John right now," said Hefner, whose follow-up is scheduled for Monday. "But I just want to make sure to cover all my bases."

Earlier this week, team doctors recommended Hefner undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his elbow. He also learned that bone chips formed in the elbow, which only increased the pain he felt between starts.

Hefner said he pitched through the pain all season, including his final eight starts of the first half, when he went 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA. But in his first five starts after the All-Star break, Hefner went 0-2 with a 9.13 ERA.

In 24 games, Hefner is 4-8 with a 4.35 ERA.

"I'm disappointed, but I did have a good year except for the last two starts," Hefner said. "So I'll always look back to that, especially when I'm going through my rehab and stuff. I'll revert back to those times, the good times."

Short hops

Juan Lagares recorded his 11th outfield assist when he nabbed Andrelton Simmons, who tried stretching a single into a double in the fourth inning of Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Braves. Lagares is closing in on the Mets' rookie record of 14 assists set by Johnny Lewis in 1965 . . . Josh Satin tied a franchise record for rookies by reaching base in his 29th consecutive start. Satin went 2-for-4 with a walk and a fourth-inning homer. He equaled Steve Henderson's club record set in 1977.