Santana with the Mets.
Johan Santana (born March 13, 1979) played pitcher for the Mets from 2008 to present.
During 2007–2008 off-season, the Twins traded Santana to the Mets in exchange for Carlos Gomez, Phillip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra. On February 1, 2008, the Mets and Santana agreed to a six-year, $137.5 million contract.
Santana was named the 2008 opening day starter, throwing 100 pitches in seven innings to earn the win against the Florida Marilns. On June 1, 2008, Santana earned his 100th career victory, going 7.2 innings and allowing just one run in a 6–1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. On July 27, the day after the Mets played a 14 inning game where every pitcher in the bullpen was used, Johan pitched a complete game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He struck out 5 and also got his first RBI as a Met. He won this game, improving his record to 9–7. On August 17, 2008 Santana pitched his second complete game and his 11th win of the season, allowing only 3 hits while walking none and striking out 7 in a 3–0 Mets win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. On September 23, Santana threw a career-high 125 pitches in 8 innings to beat the Chicago Cubs. On September 27, in the thick of a playoff race and on the final weekend of the season, Santana pitched a complete game 3-hit shutout in a 2–0 win against the Florida Marlins on three-days rest. Santana finished the 2008 regular season with a 16–7 record, posting a 2.53 ERA with 206 strikeouts, which set a Mets' single-season record for strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher. His 2.53 ERA led the majors and was a career best. He also set a career high in innings pitched and was undefeated in the second half of the season.
Santana pitching.
On April 7, 2009, Johan Santana started the first game for the Mets in 2009 against the Cincinatti Reds. He went 5.2 innings allowing only 1 earned run, going on to win. Santana finished the 2009 season at a record of 13–9 with a 3.13 ERA.
Johan pitching.
Santana hit his first major league home run off of Matt Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds on July 6th, 2010, finishing the game with a complete game three hit shutout. From July 1-July 23, Santana was 3–0 with a 0.71 ERA in five starts. Santana, who was struggling to keep his 10–9 through September 2, strained his pectoral muscle in a 65 pitch start versus Atlanta. Santana had surgery for his shoulder on September 14 . Santana ended his season with a record of 11–9 and an ERA of 2.98. This is the 3rd consecutive year that Johan had gotten injured. Reports have Santana not being able to return to the team until the second half of the 2011 season after having rotator cuff surgery.
Johan missed the 2011 season due to aftermath of the shoulder surgery and is expected to return for the 2012 season.
Santana just after throwing the Mets first no-hitter.
On April 5, 2012, Santana was the Mets Opening Day starter. This marked the first time Santana pitched in the majors since September 2, 2010 when he tore the anterior capsule in his left shoulder. He pitched five scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves, striking out five.
On May 26, Santana pitched a complete game shut-out against the San Diego Padres, the ninth of his career. He struck out seven over nine innings and improved to 2-2 with a 2.75 ERA over his first ten starts.
The St. Louis sports section the day after the no-hitter. Whatever, St. Louis.
For his next start on June 1, only the eleventh since returning from shoulder surgery, Santana threw a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. This was the first no-hitter in Mets franchise history, coming in their 51st season and 8,020th regular season game. In the game, Santana walked five batters, recorded eight strikeouts, and lowered his season ERA to 2.38. He also threw a career-high 134 pitches, and earned the new nickname "No-han". Notable moments in the game included a liner in the sixth inning by former Met Carlos Beltran, which hit the foul line behind third base but was ruled foul. In the seventh inning, Mike Baxter made a difficult catch in left field, preserving the no-hitter, and then violently crashed into the wall. He left the game with a bruised left shoulder and was subsequently placed on the DL.
For throwing the no-hitter, Santana was named NL Player of the week for the week ending June 3, 2012. It was his fifth such award.