Johan Santana

At 45 years old, Johan Santana physical status not available right now. We will update Johan Santana's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.

Professional career

Andres Reiner, who was a scout for the Houston Astros at the time, discovered Santana in 1994. Santana's parents decided to enroll him in Houston's academy in Valencia. When Astros scouting chief Dan O'Brien called Reiner and asked if Santana had signed him to a deal, Reiner said he was still trying to decide whether Santana was a better option as an outfielder or a pitcher. Santana was told he was going to pitch after six weeks of preparation. Santana did not like it and almost left, but Reiner persuaded him to keep it. Santana, who was born a center fielder, was converted to a pitcher at the academy due to his arm speed. In 1999, he was named the Tovar Mérida Athlete of the Year.

Santana was left homeless by the Houston Astros and eligible in the Rule 5 draft after the 1999 major league season. The Minnesota Twins had the first pick of the year, while the Florida Marlins had the second. The Twins and the Marlins have forged an agreement with the Marlins: the Twins will draft Jared Camp with their first pick, and the Marlins will draft Santana. With the Twins getting $50,000 to pay their pick, the two players would be swapped.

Santana made his Major League debut with the Twins on April 3, 2000, after being drafted from the bullpen against Tampa Bay. In a relief appearance at Houston on June 6, he made his first MLB appearance at Kansas City on April 7, 2000, his first Major League victory in a relief appearance. In 2000, he had a 6.49 ERA in 86 innings pitched, his first year.

Santana was sent by the Twins for two months to concentrate almost entirely on perfecting his changeup in 2002. He played for ten starts and made his way back to the majors with a fantastic lineup to go along with his superb fastball. Even in the minors, pitching coach Bobby Cuellar made Santana throw at least one changeup to every batter. Santana will occasionally throw 20 in a row during games, according to Cuellar.

Santana was used as a long-server early in his career after having no success as a starter. He was the majors in wild pitches in 2002, with 15.

After spending the first four months of the season in the bullpen, Santana moved from relief to the Twins' starting rotation in 2003. He won his last eight decisions and sat down the Yankees in the ALDS opener.

Johan Santana, a youth minor-league pitcher for the Anaheim Angels' farm system, changed his name to Ervin Santana in 2003 and has also achieved major league success thanks to Santana's early major league success. Following the season, Santana underwent minor elbow surgery.

Santana's 2004 was one of the best second halves of modern times. He was the first pitcher since 1961 to give up four or fewer hits in ten straight starts, and his 13–0 record tied Burt Hooton and Rick Sutcliffe in the old Major League second-half record.

Santana's other second-half numbers were also impressive: 11.13 strikeouts per nine innings, 1.21 ERA, 4.74 hits per nine innings, and 6.73 baserunners per nine innings. In addition, Santana recorded 265 strikeouts, much more than the old 258 set by Bert Blyleven in 1973.

Santana was in good form with a 20-1-6 record and led the American League (AL) in strikeouts (26.5), OBP (2.60), SLG (.315), and OPS (.564). In seven attempts against him, opponents took six bases out of seven runs, and his 20 victories ranked him second, behind only Curt Schilling's 21. With all 28 first-place votes, he easily won the AL Cy Young Award.

Santana struggled in his first outing of 2005, losing four runs in the first inning, but then regained his composure and returned to Cy Young-winning form in an 8–4 victory over the Seattle Mariners. As the Twins defeated 5–2, he had 11 strikeouts against the Chicago White Sox in his second game. Santana's average was 2.87, the second lowest in the AL behind Indians pitcher Kevin Millwood (2.86). However, the 2005 Twins club, on the other hand, won several other winnable games, and his winning percentage dropped in his second full year as a starter. During the season, he threw 238 strikeouts, leading the majors, and ended third in the Cy Young poll, behind winner Bartolo Colón and closer Mariano Rivera.

Santana captured the pitching Major League Triple Crown for the first pitcher to do so after 1985's Dwight Gooden. He finished the season leading the majors in ERA (2.7%) and strikeouts (245), and tied Chien-Ming Wang in victories (19). He was the first pitcher to win the triple crown with fewer than 20 victories and the first to win it with an ERA greater than 2.60.

Santana was also a leader in the AL in WHIP (1.00), opposing batting average (.216), and innings pitched (233.2). He maintained his fame as a top-half pitcher, losing just one game after the All-Star break while winning 10 games and posting a 2.54 ERA. He missed out on his 20th victory of the season after a short slump. In the 2006 season, no pitcher in Major League Baseball played 20 games, the first time in modern major league history.

Santana received his second Cy Young Award in 2006, becoming the 14th player in MLB history to win multiple times. He was the fifth pitcher to win the award by a unanimous vote three times, joining Roger Clemens, Pedro Martez, Greg Maddux, and Sandy Koufax, who achieved the feat three times.

Santana led the league in strikeouts for three years, twice in ERA, and also worked in several other critical statistical fields from 2004 to 2006. He set a 55–19 record with a WHIP of 0.96 and a WHIP of 0.96, while striking out 748 batters in three years.

Santana got off to a slow start with his record dropping to 6–6 at one point, followed by two victories. Santana was announced as a participant in the 2007 All-Star Game for the third time in a row. Bert Blyleven, a coach on the team bus to a game at Shea Stadium, said he'd have his head shaved if that night's starting pitcher, Santana, threw a complete shutout. The Twins won 9–0, while Santana went the distance on a four-hitter. The following day, Santana shaved Blyleven's head. On August 19, Santana had his best game of his career against the Texas Rangers in which he struck out 17 batters over eight innings. Sammy Sosa had no walks and allowed only two hits. His 17 strikeouts set a new Twins club record for strikeouts in a game. Santana's game score of 95 is the highest in a non-complete game in MLB history.

He led the major leagues in home runs allowed (33) and suffered the most injuries of his career (13). Santana had only 15 victories on the season, his lowest total since 2003. However, Santana led the AL in strikeouts with 235, and seventh in ERA. Santana was limited to pitch only three innings in their last game of the season. This was the conclusion of a 123-year streak in which he pitched five innings or more. This is the third straight game streak for a pitcher in the last half-century. Santana was named first pick of the AL Gold Glove Award in November. He was also voted as the best fielding pitcher in MLB by a Fielding Bible Award, and he finished 5th in the AL Cy Young Award voting.

Carlos Gómez, Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey were traded from the Twins to the New York Mets on February 2, 2008. Santana and the Mets have agreed to a six-year, $137.5 million contract. Santana was named the Starting Day starter, tossing 100 runs in seven innings against the Florida Marlins. He won his first game at Shea Stadium as a member of the New York Mets on May 10, 2008.

Santana defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in 6–1 victory on June 1, 2008, winning by 7.2 innings and allowing one run in his 100th career victory.

Johan pitched a complete game against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 27, the day after the Mets played a 14-inning game where every pitcher in the bullpen was used. Santana pitched his second complete game of the season on August 17, 2008, giving only three hits while walking none and striking out 7 in a 3–0 Mets shutout over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Santana beat the Chicago Cubs in eight innings on September 23, a career high to that point. Santana pitched a complete three-hit gem in a 2–0 victory over the Florida Marlins on three days' rest on September 27, in the middle of a playoff race and on the final weekend of the season. Santana had pitched that day, and possibly in several other instances, with a torn meniscus in his left knee for which he underwent successful surgery on October 1, 2008.

Santana posted a 16-7 record in the 2008 regular season, leading to a Mets' single-season record for left-handed pitchers, defeating Jon Matlack's 35-year record of 205 in 1973. His 2.53 ERA led the majors and was his best on record. In the second half of the season, he tied for the most innings pitched and was undefeated. However, he was also the perpetrator of seven blown saves, tying for first in the majors.

Santana came in third place in the NL Cy Young Award competition, behind Brandon Webb and Tim Lincecum.

Johan Santana played for the New York Mets in 2009 against the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of the 2009 season. He went 5.2 innings, giving only one earned run and winning by the end. Santana lost two runs over seven innings against the Florida Marlins on April 12, 2008, just after losing to the New York Yankees for the first time since June 28, 2008. Santana was placed on the 15-day disabled list and missed the remainder of the season after having to have season-ending arthroscopic surgery to eliminate bone chips in his left elbow. Santana had a 3.2 ERA as a season ended, finishing the season 13-19-9.

He appeared on the Sporting News' list of the top 50 best current players in baseball in 2009, behind Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez. A committee of 100 baseball experts, many of whom were members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was selected to begin the list.

Santana gave up ten runs in 323 innings against Philadelphia on May 2, 2010. Santana earned only seven runs in the next five years, knocking out 21 runs and improving his record to 4–2 with a 3.03 ERA. Santana won after pitching a complete game shutout on July 6, off Matt Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds, the Mets' first home run, and giving the Mets their first run. Santana had a 0.1 ERA in five starts from July 1 to 23. Santana, who was struggling to hold his 10–9 record until September 2, strained his pectoral muscles against Atlanta in a 65-pit start for the second time in his career. On September 2, he defeated the Atlanta Braves in his last game of the season. He underwent surgery on September 14 to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder. Santana ended his season with a record of 11-199 and a 2.98 ERA. Johan was injured for the third year in a row.

Johan Santana did not complete the 2011 major league season after recovering from anterior capsule surgery to his left shoulder (dominant), pitching only in the minors.

Santana was tagged as the Mets Opening Day starter on April 5, 2012. This was the first time Santana pitched in the majors since September 2, 2010, when he tore the anterior capsule in his left shoulder. He went five scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves, striking out five batters out of five. Santana pitched a complete game shut-out against the San Diego Padres on May 26, his ninth appearance in his career. He took out seven out of nine innings and jumped to 2–2 with a 2.75 ERA in his first ten innings. He scattered three hits over eight shutout innings in Dodger Stadium on June 30, which was an outrage. Santana was placed on the Mets' 15-day disabled list on July 21, after three more starts. On August 22, Santana was once more put on the 15-day disabled list due to inflammation in his lower back. He did not pitch for the remainder of the 2012 season. Santana finished the season 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 21 starts and 117 innings pitched.

Santana threw a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals, the reigning World Series champions, on June 1, only the 11th start since recovering from shoulder surgery. This was the first no-hitter in Mets franchise history, marking their 51st season and 8,020th regular-season game. It was only the eighth no-hitter in MLB history against a defending World Series champion team, the first since former Met Nolan Ryan blanked the Oakland Athletics in 1990. Santana walked five batters, had eight strikeouts, and lowered his season ERA to 2.38. He also threw a career-high 134 pitches. In the sixth inning by former Met Carlos Beltrán, a liner was ruled foul but not foul, one of the game's memorable moments included a liner. Mike Baxter made a difficult catch in left field, retaining the no-hitter, but then violently crashed into the wall in the seventh inning. He left the game with a bruised left shoulder and was then recalled on the DL and was subsequently suspended from the game.

Santana was named National League Player of the Week for the week ending June 3, 2012. It was his fifth award and it came after his colleague R. A. Dickey, who had won it the previous week. Mayor Michael Bloomberg named him the Key to the City after his pitching success.

Santana's no-hitter is the only solo no-hitter by a Mets pitcher, as of 2022, although five Mets pitchers combined to no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 on April 29, 2022.

Santana tore his shoulder capsule for the second time since early 2013. Dr. David Altchek's surgery was done on April 3, 2013. He missed the entire 2013 season. The Mets bought out his 2014 option for $5.5 million, making Santana a free agent for the first time on November 1, 2013.

Santana signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles on March 4, 2014. Santana's rookie contract included an invitation to Major League spring practice, and if he made the Major League roster, he would make $3 million. Santana tore his Achilles tendon during an extended spring training session on June 6. He missed the remainder of the 2014 MLB season.

Santana joined the Toronto Blue Jays in minor leagues on February 26, 2015. If he made the 25-man roster, he'd have been paid $2.5 million, and active days and games would have started. Santana started the season on the disabled list of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons while rebuilding the shoulder muscles in his throwing arm. Santana revealed on June 27 that he was canceling his 2015 season due to a toe infection, and that he would resume his comeback in 2016.

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