Santana has left knee surgery

By Jon Heyman, SI.com

Mets ace Johan Santana had left knee surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus, SI.com has learned. He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready in time for spring training.

Adding to his legacy as one of the game's elite starters, Santana was pitching with a hurt left knee on Saturday when he shutout the Marlins on three days' rest to keep the Mets' postseason hopes alive. The two-time AL Cy Young award winner finished his first season in the National League by going 16-7 with an NL-best 2.53 ERA and 206 strikeouts in a career-high 234 1/3 innings pitched for the Mets, who had acquired him in an offseason trade with the Minnesota Twins.