Former Mets ace Johan Santana was attempting a comeback this season with the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, it ended today when he tore his Achilles in an extended spring training game.
Johan Santana's comeback attempt with the Baltimore Orioles was derailed today, as he tore his Achilles tendon in an extended spring training game. He will miss the rest of the season. This is sad news.
Santana was on track to join the Orioles pitching staff at some point in the coming weeks. He has not pitched in MLB since 2012, when he posted a 4.85 ERA over 117 innings with the Mets. And of course, he threw the first and only no-hitter in Mets history on June 1, 2012 against the Cardinals. Santana missed the second half of the 2012 season with various injuries, then tore his left shoulder capsule in spring training 2013. He missed all of 2013 and the Mets bought out his 2014 option for $5.5 million.
Santana pitched for the Mets from 2008-2012, after Omar Minaya acquired him from the Twins for prospects Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey. Although he wasn't as valuable as Mets fans might have hoped, he was quite good from 2008-2010, posting a 143 ERA+ over 600 innings pitched. He came in third place in Cy Young voting in 2008, and pitched an unforgettable shutout in game 161 that season. Regardless if Santana continues his major league comeback bid, we'll always have 6/1/12.