Corey Hart injury: Brewers 1B to undergo knee surgery; out 3-4 months

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Corey Hart will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday, the team has announced. The recovery time for Hart will be three to four months, meaning he's expected to miss at least the start of the regular season.

#Brewers 1B Corey Hart will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday (1/22) in Milwaukee. Recovery time is 3-4 months.

— Mike Vassallo (@MikeVassallo13) January 18, 2013

Hart hit .270/.334/.507 with 35 doubles, four triples and 30 home runs over 562 at-bats last season. The 30-year-old has hit .276/.334/.491 over nine seasons at the major league level and he's averaged over 31 doubles and 29 home runs per year for Milwaukee since 2010.

This is a huge blow for the Brewers, as Hart was counted on to make up the middle of the team's lineup, along with outfielder Ryan Braun and third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

If Hart is able to return on the short end of his expected timeframe, he'd be back in late April. If he's sidelined closer to four months or even longer he may not return until June.

While Hart's recovering from surgery, the Brewers are expected to go with former top prospect Mat Gamel at first base. He's a far cry from Hart, as the 27-year-old sports a career line of only .229/.305/.367.