PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — New York Mets left fielder Moises Alou will have surgery for a hernia and miss the start of the season.

The oft-injured Alou left spring training camp today and was sent back to New York for tests on his sore right groin. He is scheduled to have the surgery on Thursday.

Alou is expected to resume baseball activities in four to six weeks, making it likely he'll be sidelined for at least most of April.

The 41-year-old Alou batted .341 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs in 87 games last season, when he missed a long stretch of games with a quadriceps injury.