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Johan Santana Placed On 15-Day Disabled List; Is Not Expected To Pitch Again In '12

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — New York Mets ace Johan Santana is headed to the disabled list, and he's not expected to pitch again this season.

General manager Sandy Alderson said on Wednesday that the left-hander is going on the 15-day DL with inflammation in his lower back.

Doctors are not recommending surgery.

"There is no significant problem," Alderson told WFAN's Mike Francesa. "There is no surgical issue that Johan has to face and an injection is probably not indicated either, at this point. It's not super serious, but at the same time, if he favors it, then it could get to his shoulder. We just thought that it may be best that he not pitch again the rest of the season."

LISTEN: Sandy Alderson speaks with Mike Francesa

Santana has had an up-and-down season in his return from shoulder surgery, which kept him out for more than a year. He threw the team's first no-hitter on June 1, but is just 3-7 with an 8.27 ERA since throwing a career-high 134 pitches in that game.

"(Santana) led by example," Mets manager Terry Collins told Francesa. "Everybody knew that he came back from surgery and they saw him working very hard to keep his arm in shape ... All the exercising he had to do and all the stretching he had to do. And all of a sudden he stopped pitching very well, and I think it hurt us."

LISTEN: Terry Collins speaks with Mike Francesa

He is 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 21 starts overall this season. Alderson said that he expects the four-time All-Star to be ready for the start of next season.

"My mindset is to be ready to go from day one of Spring Training next year," Santana told reporters after the general manager made the announcement.

The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner is in the fifth season of a $137.5 million, six-year contract.

Not shocking news, but it's never enjoyable to see a competitor like Johan go down like this. Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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