Johan Santana shut down due to shoulder discomfort

According to LVBP.com, Johan Santana has been shut down due to discomfort in his left shoulder. He was scheduled to start for the Navigators on Sunday, but now will be out for the remainder of the Venezuelan winter league playoffs. Santana would have been scheduled to pitch again tomorrow.

An MRI has revealed no structural damage, which is a good sign, but being slow to recover from a single start isn't what anyone wanted. The Navigators pitching coach said that Johan suffered from fatigue and, because of the stage of the season, the team won't be able to wait to see if he can get past it.

Santana had attempted a comeback in 2014 but, days before being activated by the Orioles, suffered a torn achilles tendon. But it was far from the first issue affecting his health. He had a torn meniscus in his left knee in 2008. In 2009 he missed the end of the year when he had arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in his throwing elbow. In September of 2010 he had surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder, which kept him out for all of 2011. In the second half of 2012 he hit the disabled list with a right ankle sprain and lower back inflammation. He missed the entire 2013 campaign after re-tearing his left shoulder capsule.

While this may just be Santana's body being slow to recover from its first game experience in some time, at this point it feels like his body just won't let him do what he wants to do. Hopefully this isn't the end, but if we're all being honest...it just might be.