Mets Set Plans for All-Star Pitcher Kodai Senga After Minor League Assignment
The New York Mets are running out of time to get Kodai Senga back on track, but they’re making one final push. 
The former ace will make his first start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, hoping to prove he can still contribute to the Mets’ big-league squad as they fight for the final NL wild card spot.
At 32, Senga has a solid 7-6 record with a 3.02 ERA, but his performance in August was concerning, posting a 6.18 ERA in six starts before agreeing to a demotion to the minors last week. With the Mets sitting at 76-71 and having lost six straight, they’re just 1.5 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants for the final wild card.
Senga’s Struggles Since Returning From the IL
Senga was one of the best pitchers in baseball early in the season, going 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA and 70 strikeouts over 73.2 innings in his first 13 starts. However, he strained his hamstring while covering first base on June 13 and was placed on the injured list for nearly a month.
He returned to the rotation on July 11, pitching four shutout innings in a win over the Kansas City Royals. But since then, his performance has taken a downturn, with a 6.56 ERA over his last eight starts — a surprising drop for the Japanese star who signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Mets in December 2022. Senga was an All-Star in 2023 and finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, posting a 12-7 record with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts.
Senga Will Make At Least Two Starts in Triple-A
The Mets have had Senga working on his mechanics over the past week, and while they’re encouraged by his progress, they want to see how he performs against live competition.
“Facing competition tomorrow will tell us a lot. We’ll get feedback from him, watch the videos, and make assessments,” said Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. “He feels good and feels like he’s in a good spot. Now it’s about seeing it in action and making adjustments.”
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the plan is for Senga to make at least two starts with Syracuse, with hopes he can rejoin the Mets in time to help their playoff push. However, unless another Mets player is injured, Senga is not eligible to return to the big league roster until September 20.
The Mets have struggled in September, going just 3-7 after being swept in a four-game series by the Philadelphia Phillies.
No Comment! Be the first one.