PORT ST. LUCIE — Johan Santana took the field with the other Mets pitchers and catchers Thursday as a sign of solidarity, but the pitching rubber was off limits.

The Mets ace has been playing catch on alternate days for the past two weeks, but according to a timetable GM Sandy Alderson outlined for reporters, Santana won’t begin pitching activities until early May then need another 6-8 weeks before he can join the team.

Santana, coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, remains upbeat he can return to his previous level of excellence.

“I’m a competitor, and every time the situation is out there I’m going to go out there and battle,” Santana said. “I’ve just got to be patient and do everything one step at a time.”

Santana said Yankees catcher Jorge Posada had similar surgery in 2008 and returned to full-time catching, but that is quite a difference from the precision and arm strength needed to throw 100 pitches every fifth day.

“It’s a rare type of injury that you don’t see very often,” Santana said. “But [Posada] is out there, but at the same time from the medical part, just for them to say everything was a success means a lot.”

Alderson mentioned perhaps early July as a target for Santana’s return, but Terry Collins is thinking in terms of June.

“We’re going to look forward to getting him back,” Collins said. “That’s why June I thought is going to be a pretty big month for us. I told the pitchers this morning that we’ve got to battle. If we stay in it, look who we are getting in June for heaven’s sake. Other teams can’t say that.”

With Santana sidelined, the Mets will count on Mike Pelfrey as the interim ace.

“He knows how to pitch and he wants to help and lead this team; that is a great thing,” Santana said. “He’s in a great position. When I come back we’ll be a better team.”