Sad update to pass along about one of our favorites here at HardballTalk. According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, left-hander Johan Santana has decided to give up on his comeback attempt for this season and will try again in 2016.
Santana signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays in February, but he has been sidelined with a toe infection. He ultimately decided that he won’t have enough time to ramp things up to pitch in the majors this season.
Santana hasn’t pitched in the majors since August 17, 2012 as a member of the Mets. He missed all of 2013 after his second shoulder capsule surgery and had a comeback attempt with the Orioles halted last season due to a torn Achilles. He’ll turn 37 years old next March. If anybody can defy the odds and make it back on his own terms, it’s Santana, but it’s fair to wonder at this point if he’ll ever pitch in the majors again.