Mets lose Pedro Martinez for 4-6 weeks

New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez will be sidelined four-to-six weeks because of a strained left hamstring.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner was put on the 15-day disabled list before Wednesday's game against the Florida Marlins.

Pitcher Nelson Figueroa was called up from the triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs to replace him on the roster.

Martinez, 36, suffered the injury during Tuesday's 5-4, 10-inning loss to Florida, and returned to New York to be examined by team physician Dr. David Altchek. 

"It doesn't look good," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "He said he heard a pop, and that is not a good thing."

Martinez pitched 3 1/3 innings before limping off the mound.

The hard-throwing right-hander permitted four runs on four hits and one walk with a strikeout, including home runs in each of the first two innings.

"He is an unfortunate loss," Mets pitcher John Maine said. "Everyone knows what Pedro can do."

Martinez has been plagued by calf, foot, hip and shoulder problems the past two years, making 23 starts in 2006 and just five in 2007.

He is 209-93 overall with a 2.81 earned-run average, 46 complete games and three saves in 448 games (381 starts) over 17 MLB seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox and Mets.

Martinez has struck out 3,031 batters in 2,677 innings since breaking into the majors with the Dodgers on Sept. 24, 1992.