Johan Santana to Rest a Week with Shoulder Fatigue

The Mets have announced that Johan Santana will not throw for a week because of shoulder fatigue. Santana's three inning rehab start with Port St. Lucie went well enough in its own right, but Santana's recovery from it was equally important. There's no sense in rushing Santana to make his next one. 

Heading into the season, we thought that it'd be a very pleasant surprise if Santana took the mound for the Mets, but the priority was having him healthy for 2012. Given the amount of time left in the season and the uncertainty surrounding his shoulder, it would come as no surprise if the Mets shut Santana down for longer than a week.

Believe it or not, there are only two guaranteed years left on Santana's contract at this point. They're still expensive, though, and the top priority is the long-term health of Santana's arm. Unless the Mets sweep the Braves this weekend, their playoff odds remain extraordinarily low, with or without a return by Johan.