Santana could pitch off mound this week

PHILADELPHIA -- As the Mets prepared to face Cliff Lee Sunday night, manager Terry Collins got excited about the progress of his own ace, Johan Santana, who is expected to throw off a mound in Port St. Lucie, Fla., shortly -- perhaps as soon as this week.

Collins heard from the Florida staff that Santana was throwing from a distance of 150 feet in the outfield, which was the last step in gaining strength before graduating to a mound.

"He feels great, and that was great news today," Collins said before Sunday night's series finale at Citizens Bank Park. "He's right on schedule."

The tentative timeline that general manager Sandy Alderson mapped out in spring training had Santana throwing from a mound somewhere around May 1. The Mets haven't engaged in much speculation about his return, but early July seems like the best-case scenario if there are no setbacks.

Even then, it's unclear how long it will take Santana to pitch like the two-time Cy Young Award winner he is. He had surgery Sept. 14 to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder, and it required more work than an arthroscopic procedure, which usually takes less time to heal.

Pagan inches closer

Angel Pagan, who has been on the DL since April 22 with an oblique strain, is taking batting practice off a machine in Port St. Lucie, and the Mets hope to have him playing in a rehab game at some point this week. Pagan was batting .159 (11-for-69) with one home run and six RBIs in 19 games before he was injured. Jason Pridie, called up from Triple-A Buffalo to replace him, was hitting .261 (6-for-23) with two homers and five RBIs in eight games entering Sunday night.