Viera, FL – The career of New York Mets starting pitcher Johan Santana has taken a serious turn for the worse.
The team announced on Thursday that the former Cy Young Award winner has re- torn his left shoulder capsule, and that a second surgery to repair the shoulder is "a strong possibility."
Santana missed the entire 2011 season after originally tearing his pitching shoulder in September of the 2010 campaign. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said that the 34-year-old will soon decide how to proceed.
Shortly after his arrival at spring training, Santana was diagnosed with left shoulder weakness, and has since been limited to long-toss regimens for the past several weeks.
Santana, a four-time All Star, returned from his year-long absence to start the 2012 opener for New York, and on June 1 tossed the first no-hitter in Mets' history, on a career-high 134 pitches.
Accomplishing the feat seemed to have devastating after effects, as Santana went just 3-7 over his next 10 starts with an 8.27 ERA. Battling ankle, back and shoulder issues, the Mets eventually shut him down for good in mid-August.
Santana is scheduled to earn $25.5 million this season, the final year of the six-year, $137.5 million contact. The Mets have a club option for 2014, but aren't expected to pick it up.
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