Mets' Matt Harvey has ligament tear

NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- New York Mets ace Matt Harvey has been diagnosed with a partially torn ligament in his right elbow and may miss the rest of the season.

Harvey, 24, was one of several in the Mets' organization to speak of the injury, saying he didn't peg the problem to any one incident although he reported tightness in his right (pitching) forearm after his start last Saturday.

Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson said Harvey was examined Monday for forearm tenderness and an MRI revealed a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

"Matt will most likely be placed on the disabled list," Alderson said. "We can't rule out the possibility of surgery."

Harvey, speaking after Alderson, said he would do everything he could to avoid so-called Tommy John surgery -- the replacement of an arm ligament with a ligament from another part of the body. Recovery from such a procedure, while generally very effective, can be more than a year.

Harvey is 9-5 this season with a 2.27 earned run average and 191 strikeouts for the 58-70 Mets. His ERA is second-best in the majors this year and the strikeout total is fourth most. He was also named the starter for the 2013 All-Star Game which was at the Mets' home field.