So much for Johan Santana pitching in the majors — or the minors — this season.
Mets manager Terry Collins made clear that the left-hander would not be back with the team this year and said Santana would not start for Single-A Savannah tonight.
His next outing likely will be a simulated game in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sunday.
“That pretty much has been out the window a while,” Collins said before the Mets’ 2-0 loss to the Nationals last night at Citi Field. “I just think, for him to come here — even for one outing — we were asking for a bad experience afterwards.
“[Rehab coordinator] Randy Niemann told me today he’s going to be ready for spring training and that’s good enough for me.”
As for Savannah, Santana was uncomfortable parachuting in for an important game.
“He doesn’t want to interrupt what’s going on in Savannah,” Collins said, referring to the team’s place in the championship series. “He doesn’t know how ready he’s going to be and there could be a championship game. He doesn’t feel like that’s his place.”
Santana long-tossed yesterday from 250 feet and is expected to pitch in the instructional league.
“If he starts moving along good, he may pitch in winter ball a couple of times,” Collins said. “As a group, they may decide he’s done enough and get rest.”
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Mookie Wilson unveiled a painting he and Bill Buckner commissioned commemorating the ground ball Wilson hit through Buckner’s legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series yesterday.
Wilson, now the Mets’ first base coach, also said he has seen the impact Jose Reyes‘ left hamstring has had on him this season.
“It’s important to be confident in your body to perform at your best,” Wilson said. “He’s like a pitcher without his best stuff: You can find a way to get through the day, but it’s not what you want to do. He’s tentative. I don’t see the same explosion I did before.”
Reyes is scheduled to get this afternoon’s game off.
“I feel like I can play every day,” Reyes said. “But I’m not where I was earlier in the season.”
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The Mets announced their tentative 2012 schedule, which opens at Citi Field on April 5 when they host the Braves at 1:10 p.m. . . . Collins said today’s starter Chris Schwinden will get another start following today.
The Mets brought some of their top minor league players to Citi Field to receive Sterling Awards. Infielder Josh Satin was named Organizational Player of the Year. RHP Matt Harvey was included after what he called an “up and down” season between Class A and Double-A.
“It took me longer than I wanted to, but I settled in pretty well,” said Harvey, last year’s first round pick out of North Carolina. “I felt stronger as the year went on.”