In a move Mets ace Johan Santana is headed to the disabled list and not expected to pitch again this season.
General manager Sandy Alderson said Wednesday that the left-hander was going on the 15-day DL with inflammation in his lower back.
Doctors are not recommending surgery.
Santana has had an up-and-down season in his return from shoulder surgery that kept him out more than a year. He threw the team's first no-hitter June 1 but is 3-7 with an 8.27 ERA since throwing a career-high 134 pitches in that game.
He is 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 21 starts overall.
The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner is in the fifth season of a $137.5 million, six-year contract.
Shutting Santana down for the season could help the lefty ace bounce back for the 2013 campaign.
