MLB

Mets pitcher Pelfrey heading toward surgery

Mets starter Mike Pelfrey said he is “99 percent” certain he will need to have season-ending Tommy John surgery.

The right-hander had an MRI exam that revealed a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. He will fly to Birmingham, Ala., to consult with Dr. James Andrews, and is expected to undergo surgery.

“I’ll go down and see Dr. Andrews personally and we’ll go from there. But there’s a 99 percent chance it’s going to happen,’’ said Pelfrey. “Obviously it’s frustrating. I’ve never been hurt. It’s only been three days and I don’t know what I’m doing with myself.’’

Pelfrey’s greatest qualities have been his durable nature and stature as a workhorse. But now, in the midst of a great start to the season, he faces the likelihood he will be shelved for the rest of the campaign.

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“The prognosis was not very good,’’ manager Terry Collins said. “Right now [he’s] pitching as good as I’ve seen him pitch in person. To have his sinker back, to have command of his curveball again, everything was working and to have this happen is a true shame not only for him but for us.’’

Pelfrey’s 2.29 ERA is the best in the Mets’ rotation, and his bounce-back performance from a disappointing 2011 season is a huge reason the Amazin’s are 11-8 after yesterday’s 3-2 win over the Marlins.

Pelfrey was presented the option of an injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), but when faced with its slim chance of success and a serious threat of injury to his shoulder, opted against it.

“The doctor said I have a tear,” Pelfrey said. “He brought up my options, and they brought up the PRP, which is the injection, and put it at a 10 to 20 percent chance it works. So there was an 80 percent chance I was still going to have surgery. I thought that was best case for me and we just go ahead and do it.

“It was explained … I could alter my mechanics and end up hurting my shoulder. My shoulder feels great, and that’s the last thing I want. All the statistics, 94 percent you can fix the elbow but when you get to the shoulder it’s a gray area. I think that would be the last thing that I want.’’

Pelfrey is earning $5.6875 million this season, and though he isn’t set to hit free-agency until after 2013, he’s arbitration-eligible one more time. It remains to be seen whether the Mets choose to non-tender him in December, rather than pay him a salary sure to be at least in that same vicinity again.

Righty Chris Schwinden, 25, will start tonight at Colorado. He was 0-2 with a 4.71 ERA with the Mets last year, but is 2-2 with a 2.05 ERA in four starts for Triple-A Buffalo this year.

To make room for Schwinden, the team optioned lefty Robert Carson to Double-A Binghamton.