Cesar Tordesillas

Johan Santana has likely suffered a re-tear of the anterior capsule in his left shoulder and may undergo a repeat surgery.

An MRI revealed the probable re-tear after he was examined in New York Wednesday by team doctor David Altchek, who performed the original Sept. 2, 2010, procedure.

Altchek also consulted with renowned doctors James Andrews and Lewis Yocum, who both concurred with the diagnosis of a probable the re-tear, said New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson.

"I am not a doctor, nor am I a medical historian, but these injuries are very difficult to recover from after one surgery, and I'm not sure what the history is of recovery from a second more or less identical surgery," Alderson noted.

"If this diagnosis proves to be correct, I think in all likelihood Johan will be lost to the Mets for the season," he added.

A two-time Cy Young Award winner, Santana needed 19 months to recover enough from the first procedure to throw a major league pitch.

Now, he likely would need to overcome the surgery twice, this time at age 34, in order to return to pitching.

Santana will remain in New York this weekend to deliberate before committing to surgery.

Tearing the anterior capsule can result in the ball slipping forward in the shoulder socket during the delivery. The surgery had been performed on only nine pitchers in major league history.

Because anterior capsule surgery has been performed so infrequently on pitchers, how Santana's recovery unfolds will contribute to determining the procedure's effectiveness in extending careers, Altchek had added.

Alderson said it's unclear when the reinjury occurred.

Santana had a strong first half of last season after returning from the surgery, highlighted by tossing the first no-hitter in franchise history, on June 1 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Manager Terry Collins agonized in allowing Santana to throw a career-high 134 pitches in the no-hitter but deemed the historical moment worthwhile for the southpaw to try to complete.

It was straight downhill for Santana, however, after that performance. He had an 8.27 ERA over the next 10 starts before landing on the disabled list to finish the season.

He had hoped to represent Venezuela in March in the World Baseball Classic but encountered a succession of negative developments once he reported to camp. At one point, in early March, Alderson even questioned if Santana had reported to camp in proper shape.

The comment did not sit well with Santana, who, perhaps unwisely, threw a bullpen session to try to prove a point.

Santana is in the final guaranteed season of a six-year, $137.5 million deal with the club. There is $31 million still owed on the contract, all of which is not insured.

The Mets do not have great ambitions for the 2013 season and were not counting on Santana to propel them into the postseason. The Mets are looking to turn things around in 2014, with a core of young players that was clearly not going to include Santana.

Alderson claimed Santana's injury will not lead the Mets to rush 22-year-old right-hander Zack Wheeler, their top pitching prospect, to the majors.

"We will bring him up when he is ready," Alderson said. "No immediate need will impact that."

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Mets Pitcher Johan Santana Likely Done