Stephen Fife has Tommy John surgery

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers pitcher Stephen Fife had Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, ending his season. The procedure was performed by team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

Recovery is expected to take 14-18 months, which likely means Fife is out for all of the 2015 season as well.

Fife left his July 18 start in Triple-A Albuquerque with two outs in the fourth inning after feeling something in his right arm. After the game the Isotopes said Fife had right forearm tightness and he was placed on the disabled list the next day. Fife also missed 30 games with right forearm tightness earlier in the season, in May and June.

The 27-year-old was 2-2 with a 7.01 ERA in 11 games with the Isotopes in 2014, including nine starts, with 27 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43⅔ innings.

Fife, who started 10 games for the Dodgers in 2013, started once for the Dodgers this season, making a spot start on May 4 in Miami. He allowed four runs in six innings in a no-decision against the Marlins, with five strikeouts and one walk.

Three different Dodgers pitchers this season have had Tommy John surgery, with Fife joining Ross Stripling and Chris Withrow. In addition, both Chad Billingsley and Scott Elbert — each of whom had the procedure in 2013 — have yet to throw another pitch in the big leagues. Billingsley is out until 2015 after surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, and Elbert is still in Triple-A, designated for assignment and outrighted to the minors at the end of July.

Fife will be out of options next season.