Mets ace Santana lost for season

? Johan Santana needs surgery for bone chips in his left elbow, and the pitcher is out for the season, the latest blow to a New York Mets team battered by injuries.

The team said their 30-year-old ace was expected to be ready for spring training next year. The two-time Cy Young winner was examined Tuesday by Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek in New York.

Santana is 13-9 with a 3.13 earned-run average in 25 starts in his second season with the Mets. He was acquired in a February 2008 trade with Minnesota.

Santana had arthroscopic surgery on torn cartilage in his left knee last October, after the season ended. He went 16-7 and led the majors with a 2.53 ERA in his first year with the Mets.

Mets general manager Omar Minaya said Santana was evaluated around the All-Star break, adding the injury worsened in recent weeks, especially after his last start. The GM said “nothing major was there” during the previous checkup.

“It’s mostly soreness. It’s my understanding from the doctors there are bone chips,” Minaya said on a conference call.

The Mets had feared a major setback to Santana, who has four seasons left on his $137.5 million, six-year contract. Instead, he will have arthroscopic surgery.

Santana was put on the 15-day disabled list and became the 12th Mets player on the DL, joining David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, J.J. Putz, John Maine and others.

Strong at the start of the season, Santana’s stats had dipped noticeably since June — he was 7-2 with a 1.77 ERA and averaged nearly 12 strikeouts per nine innings before then, but was 6-7 with a 4.02 ERA and averaged 51/2 strikeouts after.

BASEBALL

Padres shelve Adams

Atlanta — San Diego right-hander Mike Adams has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a right shoulder strain, his second shoulder injury in less than a year. Adams had surgery last October to repair a torn right labrum. He missed the first two months of this season and has a 0.92 ERA in 30 games.

Red Sox trade for Wagner

Boston — Billy Wagner is on his way to the Boston Red Sox, leaving the New York Mets for the chance to pitch in a pennant race as a setup man for All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon.

After a few days of back-and-forth talks about Wagner’s future, the depleted Mets traded the left-handed reliever to the Red Sox on Tuesday for two players to be named.

The AL wild-card leaders had claimed Wagner on waivers, and the teams worked out a deal that persuaded Wagner to waive his no-trade clause. Wagner’s main motivation, according to agent Bean Stringfellow, was his “overwhelming desire to pitch in a pennant race.”

Rangers put Jones on DL

New York — The Texas Rangers placed Andruw Jones on the disabled list Tuesday and recalled Chris Davis from the minors to take over at first base down the stretch. Jones was put on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Monday, before Texas opened a three-game series against the New York Yankees. The designated hitter-outfielder has a strained left hamstring that’s been bothering him for a while. He is batting .217 with 17 homers and 41 RBIs in 74 games.

Davis, the team’s opening-day first baseman, was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City and immediately inserted into the lineup.

Boone to join Astros

St. Louis — Aaron Boone is set to rejoin the Houston Astros on Friday, about five months after undergoing open-heart surgery, and will be activated when rosters expand on Sept. 1. Boone has been playing in the minor leagues since Aug. 10, going 3 for 15 with one RBI for Double-A Corpus Christi before moving to Triple-A Round Rock where he was 0 for 4 in two games.

Rays’ Crawford ailing

Toronto — Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford was held out of the lineup Tuesday night because of muscle tightness in his lower back and is likely to miss another game, too. Crawford is batting .316 with 12 homers and 59 RBIs for the Rays.

NBA

Ex-ref Donaghy jailed

Tampa, Fla. — Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was back behind bars Tuesday, accused of violating his federal probation by not showing up for work, the U.S. Marshals Service said. Donaghy, 42, was being held without bond a day after his arrest at a halfway house in Tampa where he was finishing his 15-month sentence for gambling charges.

“He was supposed to be at work and he was somewhere else,” said Deputy U.S. Marshal Ron Lindbak, who didn’t know any more details. Jail records said Donaghy is in sales at the Sarasota-based beverage company ShotPak.

Cavs sign forward Green

Cleveland — The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed rookie forward Danny Green, their second-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 6-foot-6 player from North Carolina is the only player in ACC history to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 250 assists, 150 three-pointers, 150 blocks and 150 steals.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Thomas to debut at Carolina

Miami — Isiah Thomas’ coaching debut at FIU just got a little tougher. FIU’s first season under the Hall of Fame player will begin Nov. 9 at defending national champion North Carolina, part of a Coaches vs. Cancer tournament. It’s also the opener for the Tar Heels, according to the schedule released Tuesday by the Atlantic Coast Conference. Earlier drafts of FIU’s schedule indicated the Golden Panthers would open at Ohio State on that date.

GOLF

Jackson Amateur medalist

Tulsa, Okla. — Tim Jackson shot a second-round 72 to leave him at even par and earn medalist honors at the U.S. Amateur on Tuesday, even after he was assessed a one-shot penalty for slow play at the conclusion of his round. The 50-year-old became the oldest player in the history of the tournament to lead after stroke play.

TRACK AND FIELD

South Africans honor runner

Johannesburg — Mobbed by a singing, dancing and horn-blowing crowd of supporters at Johannesburg’s airport, South African runner Caster Semenya looked overwhelmed and a little terrified.

The gold-medal-winning teenager at the center of an international controversy over her gender cried “Mama! Mama!” and reached out for her mother as police tried to clear a path through the throngs at the welcoming ceremony in the arrival area.

South Africans rallied around their 800-meter world champion as she returned home Tuesday from Berlin, and even President Jacob Zuma vowed that he would not permit her gold medal to be taken away, no matter what gender tests say.

Bolt eyes book deal

Usain Bolt’s agent says representatives for the record-breaking track star are in talks with publishers about a biography. Ricky Simms says he’s negotiating a deal for a book for the sprinter but can’t discuss many details yet.

TENNIS

Federer, Safina seeded No. 1

New York — Roger Federer and Dinara Safina are seeded No. 1 for the U.S. Open. The U.S. Tennis Association announced the tournament seedings Tuesday.

The USTA followed the ATP and WTA rankings, meaning Safina leads the women’s field ahead of second-ranked Serena Williams. Safina is 0-3 in Grand Slam tournament finals, while Williams is the defending champion at Flushing Meadows and has won 11 major championships. Two-time U.S. Open winner Venus Williams is seeded No. 3.

Davydenko advances

New Haven, Conn. — Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated American Robert Kendrick, 7-6 (10), 6-3, on Tuesday at the Pilot Pen tournament. Davydenko was the third Russian man to beat an American on Tuesday. Taylor Dent lost to Igor Kunitsyn in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, and Kevin Kim lost to Igor Andreev, 6-3, 6-1.