Mets will discuss options regarding Johan Santana

New York Mets starter, Johan Santana, suffered his seventh loss of the season on Friday night allowing six earned runs on seven hits over three innings of work:

This is now the third straight start in which Santana has allowed six or more runs and since tossing his no-hitter on June 1, the former Cy-Young Award winner is 3-5 with a 6.54 ERA (31 ER/42 2/3 IP). Johan is averaging just 5 1/3 innings per start and has tossed more than six innings just once since no-hitting the Cardinals on June 1st.

Santana becomes the 3rd player in franchise history to allow 6+ ER in three straight starts, joining Pedro Astacio and Bobby Jones.

July 20, 2012 8:08 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@AdamRubinESPN

Adam Rubin

Only 4 MLB pitchers this season have allowed 6+ ER in 3 straight starts: Mike Minor (4 straight), Bruce Chen (3), Joe Blanton (3), Johan (3)

July 20, 2012 8:09 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@AdamRubinESPN

Adam Rubin

This matches the second-shortest start of Johan Santana’s career (3 IP). Shortest was also this year — 1.1 IP vs. Braves on April 17.

July 20, 2012 8:14 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@AdamRubinESPN

Adam Rubin

“I don’t feel my best right now,” Johan told reporters following the game. “But at the same time, I’m not trying to find excuses. I’m just not executing my pitches. I’m not commanding my fastball.”

While Santana told reporters he feels “OK,” Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters the club will discuss other options, saying:

“He came out of the All-Star break, he had eight days of rest, pitched on the ninth day. He just hasn’t responded. So we’re gonna go in here and discuss some options and see what we come up with tomorrow. Obviously, when you talk about options, those things will all be brought up. Do you want to skip him one start? If you put him on the DL, you’re talking two starts. All those things are gonna be talked about.”

As for what may happen if Santana is skipped, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York stated the following to his blog:

“If Santana is skipped or pushed back, Jeremy Hefner – who was promoted from Triple-A after Friday night’s game given the bullpen use heading into Miguel Batista‘s start — would be the most likely candidate to take that start. Highly touted prospect Matt Harveyconceivably would be another option, but he is pitching Saturday for Buffalo. And the Mets are looking to optimize the chance for Harvey to succeed, and short rest opposite Stephen Strasburg on Wednesday would not exactly qualify. Santana has already thrown 110 2/3 innings this season, but Collins said before the game that the organization hasn’t discussed any sort of innings limit for him.”

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