In what Mets general manager Sandy Alderson called a “tweak in the schedule” and not a “setback,” Johan Santana’s next rehab start likely will be pushed back from tomorrow to Thursday.
“He came back [yesterday] and didn’t feel as strong as he would have liked, so rather than force it, back it off a day,” Alderson said before last night’s 7-3 loss to the Marlins in 10 innings. “We’ll see how he feels [today]. I wouldn’t view that as a setback necessarily. I think it’s a tweak in the schedule. We’ll know [today] if it’s anything more significant.”
It’s hard not to fear the worst when it comes to the Mets and injuries, especially since Santana is coming off an injury — a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder — that many pitchers have never fully recovered from.
“It’s not a pain issue at this point,” Alderson said. “He’s just not feeling strong.”
Santana reported no problems immediately following his first rehab start at Single-A St. Lucie on Thursday, when he pitched three scoreless innings in his first outing since surgery in September.
Alderson already has tried to temper expectations for the lefty, saying he doesn’t expect Santana to play a “meaningful” role the rest of the season. Still, a September return is not out of the question, but could be in jeopardy if this recent lack of strength is more serious than the Mets currently believe.
“Why should we send him out there if he didn’t feel confident?” Alderson said.
*
Speaking of lingering injuries, Ike Davis remains in Arizona, where the first baseman is rehabbing the ankle bone bruise that has sidelined him since mid-May and could prevent him from returning until 2012. The Mets expect to know by the end of the week whether Davis will be lost for the season.
“He’ll continue running through the end of the week and we’ll make a decision on what the next steps are,” Alderson said.
If there isn’t significant improvement, Davis, who had cortisone shot last month to try to speed up his recovery, likely will undergo surgery.
*
It didn’t result in a win, but Lucas Duda again showed a glimpse of the power the Mets like in him. His two-out, two-run blast in the ninth that tied the game was his second off Marlins closer Leo Nunez.
“I was just trying to hit something hard,” Duda said. “He has a great changeup and he throws 97 [mph]. I had to pick one pitch and I hit it.”