New York Mets’ Kodai Senga clutches his leg after suffering an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York.
11:39 JST, July 28, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) — The season of Kodai Senga is over almost as quickly as it began.
The New York Mets pitcher is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season after straining his left calf in the sixth inning of his 2024 debut against Atlanta on Friday night. The team’s projected No. 1 starter this year, Senga had been sidelined since the start of spring training with a shoulder injury.
New York Mets’ Kodai Senga (34) reacts as he leaves the field due to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York.
Senga injured his lower leg while running off the mound to make room for teammate Pete Alonso to catch a pop-up. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Saturday that an MRI showed a “severe strain.”
“I think it’s safe to say he’s done with the regular season,” Mendoza said.
“It’s hard to give a timeline for this, especially when we’re talking about a calf. It’s hard,” he added. “We could be looking at eight, 10 weeks before he’s a big pitcher — you know, 85 pitches. But yeah, it’s hard to predict.”
It’s devastating news for Senga and the Mets, who entered the day with the National League’s top wild card even after waiting nearly four months for Senga to pitch.
Mendoza has not ruled out Senga returning this year if the Mets make the playoffs.
“It’s a huge blow. But at the same time, like you say, we’ve gotten to this point without him,” Mendoza said. “It sucks for him, it sucks for all of us. The way I look at it, we’ve been through a lot, and if we see him pitching again this year, that means we’re in a good position. So hopefully that’s the case.”
Kodai Senga of the New York Mets pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York.
Senga was sharp in his first outing, striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball to earn the win in an 8-4 victory over the Braves. The 31-year-old right-handed pitcher allowed just two hits and retired his final 10 batters.
“Yes, it’s difficult for him. We feel it for him because he’s been through a lot all year. He goes out there and plays a game like that, and it sucks that he goes down like that. But you just have to keep going. Nobody will feel sorry for us,” Mendoza said.
After suffering an injury during spring training, Senga entered a rehabilitation program on July 3. He went 0-0 with a 4.15 ERA in four minor league starts, three for Triple-A Syracuse and one for Class A Brooklyn.
Senga was 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts last season, his first in the majors after leaving Japan and signing a $75 million, five-year contract with the Mets. He was runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year and finished seventh in Cy Young Award voting.
“We feel bad for him. Obviously he’s worked hard to get back to this point,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said after a 4-0 loss to Atlanta. “He’s a real ace when he’s healthy and he’s on the field. … It’s really hard to replace aces like him.”
New York placed Senga on the injured list for 15 days and recalled right-hander Tylor Megill from Syracuse. Megill had already been scheduled to start Saturday against Atlanta, replacing rookie Christian Scott, who was on the injured list earlier in the week with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Scott won’t pitch for two weeks, but the Mets hope he can return this year.
With Senga’s arrival, the club had planned to move to a six-man rotation, since he’s used to pitching on at least five days’ rest. But now, after his injury, the Mets are sticking with a five-man rotation, Mendoza said, and Megill will get another chance to hold down a starting spot.
New York president of baseball operations David Stearns this month acquired veteran relievers Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek to bolster a struggling, injury-plagued bullpen. But the Mets could still be looking for a starter before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
“We still feel good about our options. Guys are going to step up,” Mendoza said. “We’ve got five legitimate starters here that have put us in this position where we’re at — and Megill has been a big part of that. He’s going to get a chance, people are going to get chances, and we’re also happy with what we have in Triple-A. So guys are going to step up, guys are going to get chances, and we’re going to do well.”
In another move, the Mets sent right-handed pitcher Eric Orze to Triple-A to make room in the bullpen for Stanek, who was acquired in a trade from the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
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