Atlanta ? Atlanta Braves reliever Mike Gonzalez will miss the rest of the season after learning he must have elbow ligament-replacement surgery.

Gonzalez, placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 16 because of a left elbow strain, said Friday he has a small tear in a ligament below his left elbow.

The tear was discovered in an MRI performed in New York on Thursday by Dr. Dave Altchek, the specialist who also has performed two elbow surgeries on another Braves left-handed pitcher, Mike Hampton.

“This is the worst news you can get,” Gonzalez said.

A first MRI in Atlanta found no serious problem, but the Braves and Gonzalez remained concerned after an unusually sharp drop in the velocity of his pitches.

“I hadn’t thrown 82 (miles per hour) since high school,” Gonzalez said.