CINCINNATI — Johan Santana’s long-awaited clearance to begin a minor league rehab assignment came yesterday with the Mets’ decision to allow him a 45-pitch debut.
That start will come tomorrow night for Single-A St. Lucie against visiting Daytona Beach. The Mets are hopeful it will lead to a return by their ace lefty at some point this season. Santana threw a bullpen session Sunday in Miami, convincing team brass he was ready for this next step.
Santana underwent surgery last Sept. 14 to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder. He told The Post last week that team medical director Dr. David Altchek indicated it would likely take a full year for Santana to pitch for the Mets — though best-case scenarios pegged a return for late June or July.
Santana is hopeful for a return this season, but said his shoulder, not the calendar, will determine his pace.
Even so, Santana will be on a 30-day clock to return to the majors once he makes his first rehab appearance. The clock would only stop if Santana has a setback and needs to be shut down for a period.
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Angel Pagan was absent from the starting lineup for a second straight game, but made a pinch-hitting appearance, going 1-for-1, in the Mets’ 8-6 victory over the Reds.
Test results yesterday confirmed he was suffering from dehydration on Sunday and nothing more serious. Pagan left Sunday’s game in Miami with dizziness.
With temperatures expected in the high 90s here tomorrow and to crack 100 in Washington over the weekend, Pagan will be cautious.
“They told me to drink as many fluids as I could so I could keep myself hydrated,” Pagan said.
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Jason Isringhausen was unavailable for last night’s game after laboring through Monday’s ninth inning for career save No. 296.
Manager Terry Collins said Isringhausen needed a night off after tweaking his hip covering first base on a ball Daniel Murphy smothered.
Pedro Beato got the final out in the eighth and two in the ninth last night before Tim Byrdak struck out Jay Bruce to earn his first save since 2007.
