MIAMI — Florida Marlins pitcher Sergio Mitre will miss the rest of the season and most of next year after surgery to replace an elbow ligament.

The right-hander, out since spring training with a forearm strain, had Tommy John surgery Tuesday, his agent, Matt Sosnick said. Dr. James Andrews performed the operation in Birmingham, Ala. Recovery and rehabilitation typically takes 12 to 18 months.

Mitre has struggled to stay healthy since Florida acquired him from the Cubs in a trade for Juan Pierre in December 2005. A shoulder injury limited Mitre to seven starts in 15 games in 2006, and last season he missed time with a blister and hamstring injury.

He went 5-8 with a 4.65 ERA in a career-high 27 starts last season and arrived at spring training with a chance to become the Marlins' opening-day starter. But Mitre faced just three batters in his only Grapefruit League start. He had been participating in a throwing program designed to return him to the mound as recently as two weeks ago.