Santana experiences soreness during rehab
Johan Santana warms up his arm during a spring training workout at Digital Domain field. (Feb. 25, 2011) Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa
PITTSBURGH -- Johan Santana attempted to amp up his throwing June 3 and had to stop because of "soreness" in his surgically repaired shoulder, general manager Sandy Alderson said Monday night.
Although Alderson said he would not characterize it as a setback, that seems only because he has low expectations about Santana pitching for the Mets this season. Alderson has been consistent that the Mets will not rush Santana, who still has two guaranteed years and $55 million left on his contract.
"I wouldn't call it a setback," Alderson said. "I'd say that it's one of those things that can occur and we'll see how he responds the next time out."
Alderson said Santana did not see a doctor after he felt the soreness and just backed off his rehab. Santana has been limited to mostly long-tossing since June 3, but will try to take the mound and amp it up again later this week, Alderson said.
"Once he's thrown off the mound, he has to do it more than once without discomfort," Alderson said.
If that happens, then the Mets will treat him as if he has just reported to spring training and give him up to six weeks to get ready for a major-league start.
"If you go back to spring training when I talked about the three stages [of rehab], he's in the third stage," Alderson said. "But the most delicate of those stages is the third stage to get him to the point where he would be like any other pitcher coming into spring training."
Alderson said a July return has not been ruled out. But it doesn't sound as if he's counting on it, either.
"The thing I want to emphasize is we're not here to push things," he said. " . . . We're looking at Johan here long term, not short term, so he's got to be right."
Said manager Terry Collins, "When he feels right, he'll pitch. We can only hope that it comes, and he comes in July maybe or August or September. But we hope he comes back, and if not, if he's ready next spring we're going into spring training with a pretty good pitcher on our team."
