Just three months after pitching at St. John’s, Craig Hansen was slated to be called up on Sept. 1 by the Boston Red Sox for the stretch drive of their season.

But the highly touted closer from Glen Cove, N.Y., who had been pitching with the Sox’ Double-A affiliate in Portland (Maine) since Aug. 11, was shut down indefinitely with what team officials are calling “dead arm.”

But Hansen pitched one scoreless inning Sunday in his return to the Sea Dogs and he could be called up to the Red Sox before the end of the season.

Dead arm is common among pitchers during spring training and early in the season when they are not used to the strain on their arm coming out of the offseason.

It is believed that Hansen experienced tiredness in his arm because he pitched 64.1 innings for St. John’s earlier this year and his arm has never experienced this much work in a single season before, even with the time off he had while negotiating his four-year, $4 million contract.

Hansen, a Baseball America All-American this year, was chosen with the 26th overall selection in the draft by the Sox.

He has allowed no runs and given up only one walk over 9.2 innings pitched, while striking out 10 batters and giving up nine hits with the Sea Dogs.