Mets say hand surgery likely to end Tebow’s season

NEW YORK — New York Mets minor leaguer Tim Tebow is set for hand surgery today, dashing his hopes of playing in the majors this year.

The 30-year-old outfielder will have surgery in New York to remove his broken right hamate bone, an injury that occurred Thursday while swinging a bat for Binghamton against Trenton in the Double-A Eastern League.

The former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner was hitting .273 with six home runs and 36 RBIs in 84 games for Binghamton. He doubled in the Eastern League all-star game on July 11.

“It’s about a six-to-eight week recovery, so effectively his season is over,” Mets assistant general manager John Ricco said after Tebow was examined Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Tebow hit .301 in June for the Rumble Ponies and .340 in 15 games in July.

“I view this season as a complete positive,” Ricco said. “Obviously it ends disappointingly. He’s going to miss the last month, month-plus. But to see a guy who in a couple short years is now competing at the Double-A level and thriving, really — the last couple months he was playing really well, so I don’t think how that could be anything but a positive.

“Obviously, the age factor is there, and it’s tough for him to miss this last month. But I view this as nothing but a positive. He’s really gone out and made great strides.”