Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

New York Mets left-hander Johan Santana is in danger of missing the entire season because he is not progressing well from a Sept. 14 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder, the Bergen Record reported Sunday.

The newspaper said team officials believe Santana will be “lucky” to pitch this year.

Santana recently upped his sessions throwing on flat ground from three to four days a week. According to the report, he could be shut down from throwing as soon as Sunday.

At the start of camp, general manager Sandy Alderson outlined a plan that would allow Santana to step on a mound for the first time May 1 and return to major league action by late June or early July.

Pitching coach Dan Warthen on Sunday morning insisted Santana is progressing well from September shoulder surgery, and suggested the only thing that might prevent Santana from throwing today is the celebration of the left-hander’s 32nd birthday.

The progress “has been great,” Warthen said. “We’ve been actually sneaking him back a couple of extra feet each time without him really knowing it, but I think he does know it. The arm is working in great position. He’s getting it up. He’s missed a day here and there, but he’s gone back-to-back because he missed [on] his wife’s birthday. We gave him an extra day there. So everything is going right on target, maybe a little bit ahead.”

In any rehab, it may not be a smooth progression of recovery. So has Santana had any setbacks? Warthen insisted nothing noteworthy, not since a couple of delays since beginning to toss a baseball in January.

“Ever since then he has not missed any throwing time,” Warthen said. “… He’s right on time, if not maybe a step or two ahead of that.”

According to Warthen, Santana is making 30 throws at 45 feet. He then goes to 70 feet for 40 throws.

At the start of camp, he was throwing 25 throws at 40 feet, waited for a few moments, then did another 25 throws at that distance.

“We’re moving back,” Warthen said.

 

Adam Rubin covers the Mets for ESPNNewYork.com. You can follow him on Twitter.