No Johan: Santana's Return To Mets In 2011 'Out The Window'
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — Mets ace Johan Santana will be shut out of the majors this season.
The lefty is still working his way back from shoulder surgery exactly a year ago Wednesday. The Mets say he will pitch a simulated game this Sunday in Fort Myers, Fla., and then go to the instructional league.
The Mets expect the two-time Cy Young Award winner to be ready for spring training.
"Johan's been throwing ever since spring training on a schedule of so many days a week," said Mets manager Terry Collins. "If we get him through this instructional league program, it might be time to let him go rest so we can get ready for next February."
Early this year, the Mets had thought Santana might be able to rejoin the rotation by June or sometime this season. But Collins said that hope "pretty much has been out the window for a while."
Santana made two rehabilitation starts for Class-A St. Lucie and another for Class-A Savannah in the South Atlantic League playoffs. There was a chance he would pitch again this week for Savannah in the championship series, but Santana and the Mets decided against that idea.
"He doesn't feel it's his place," Collins said.
Will we see Johan return to ace form in 2012? Be heard in the comments below...
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