All the speculation is now apparently true: Mets righthander Mike Pelfrey is headed for Tommy John surgery, possibly Tuesday or Wednesday:

pelfrey meeting with dr. andrews today seen as merely procedural, with tommy john surgery by andrews likely tues or weds

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) April 30, 2012

Tommy John surgery, now nearly 40 years after its namesake underwent the first such procedure, is considered routine. Dozens of pitchers in the major and minor leagues undergo it each year, and many of them return stronger than they were before. Tommy John himself had almost 15 seasons in the major leagues after his surgery, and was a key contributor to World Series teams.

So that’s the good news for Pelfrey. The bad news is 12 to 18 months of rehab to get back to pitching form. That seems a small price to pay to save a career.

For more on the Mets and Pelfrey, please visit Amazin’ Avenue and SB Nation New York.