MLB News: Johan Santana Suspends Comeback Bid

Johan Santana‘s most recent bid for a Major League Baseball resurgence has hit a brick wall that will not let the left-hander return to the mound in the 2015 season.

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN.com, Santana needs more time to recover from a toe problem before he can return to pitching.

“Two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana has suspended his bid to pitch in the majors and will try again in 2016, a source told ESPN.com.”

“Santana has been dealing with a toe infection and became resigned that he would not have sufficient time to ramp up this season to pitch in the majors once that issue is resolved.”

Santana has not pitched in the majors since 2012 with the New York Mets, where he posted a 4.85 ERA in 21 starts. Overall, Santana is 139-78 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 major league seasons. Also, he struck out an impressive 1,988 batters. In Minnesota, he won the Cy Young award in both 2004 and 2006.

The former all-star has battled numerous injuries over the last three years as he tries to pitch for an MLB team again. Santana missed the entirety of the 2013 season with a shoulder injury, but was able to sign a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.

In June 2014, Santana tore his left Achilles tendon and missed the rest of that year. He was able to pitch in the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system this season, but still did not appear in a single game before he was once again forced to step away from baseball with yet another injury.

Santana was able to return from the Achilles injury to play one game in the Venezuelan Winter League in January. He is originally from Venezuela.

Santana looked to be on his way to the Hall of Fame before obtaining all of these injuries; now his future in baseball, in general, is in jeopardy.

Santana has said that he plans to return to the comeback trail in the 2016 season.

It is difficult to criticize what Johan Santana is trying to achieve, but he may need to give up pitching forever in order to keep his body in somewhat good health. Santana is currently 36 years old, and 2010 was the last season in which he pitched over 120 innings. Santana is fighting a battle that is nearly impossible to win; however, if anybody could succeed in these circumstances, it would be Santana.

[Image Source: Anthony J. Causi]