Mets, Johan Santana will likely part ways this offseason
By Jake Misener
The Johan Santana era could be drawing to a close in the Big Apple.
According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, Santana and the Mets are “very likely to part ways.” The left-hander reportedly began a throwing program recently, but has not appeared in a big league game since August 17, 2012 due to injuries.
The 34 year-old Santana has undergone major shoulder surgery since 2010. When Martino told a team source that it appeared both sides were ready to move on, the source replied, “That’s probably fair, but it’s premature to say never.”
Santana’s best season in a Mets uniform came five years ago, in 2008, when he went 16-7 with a 2.53 earned run average in 34 starts. He pitched over 234 innings, broke the 200K-barrier and finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting. He turned in another impressive season two years later, going 11-9 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts, but since then has been plagued by major injuries.
His last season, 2012, he went 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 21 starts. This is a stark contrast from the former Minnesota Twins left-hander who went 19-6 with a 2.77 earned run average and 245 strikeouts en route to the 2006 American League Cy Young Award.
He could be signed by New York, but if that occurs, it will not be as a major component of the rotation. At most, it would be in a deal to provide middle-of-the-rotation stability during a season where the team will be missing young ace Matt Harvey due to Tommy John surgery.