Mets left-hander Johan Santana threw off a mound for the first time in nearly a month on Tuesday, but he is unlikely to return to the team this season. Santana was diagnosed with shoulder discomfort after pitching three innings for the St. Lucie Mets on July 28. "We're just taking it one step at a time," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "We're back on track. We'll see where he is." The New York Post reported on Thursday that while it hasn't been ruled out, "it seems unlikely" that Santana will return in 2011.