(SportsNetwork.com) - The Baltimore Orioles are apparently set to bring back one of the dominant pitchers of the new Millennium.
According to MASN.com, the O's have an agreement in place for a minor- league deal with left-hander Johan Santana, who did not pitch in the majors last season, and last took the mound for the New York Mets during an injury- plagued 2012.
Santana missed the entire 2011 season after originally tearing his pitching shoulder in September of the 2010 campaign.
The 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 earned run average. Battling ankle, back and shoulder issues, the Mets eventually shut him down for good in mid-August.
Shortly after his arrival at last year's spring training, Santana was diagnosed with left shoulder weakness. He had season-ending surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder in late March.
The Mets decided not to pick up the 2014 option on his contract.
Since arriving in the majors during the 2000 season with Minnesota, the 34- year-old native of Venezuela has compiled a 139-78 record and 3.20 ERA in 360 appearances (284 starts). He won the AL Cy Young Award in both 2004 and '06, while finishing third in NL voting two years later in his first season for New York.
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