PORT STREET LUCIE — Kodai Senga will take at least three weeks off before pitching again.
The Mets ace returned to camp on Sunday after flying to New York to receive a PRP injection in his right shoulder, manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Last week, Chiga was diagnosed with a moderate muscle strain in the posterior shoulder capsule.
“We’ve got to let Shot do the work. Once we start tightening up his pitching program, we’ll have a better idea of how he bounces back,” Mendoza said. “We have to let it heal.”
Even after Chiga resumes pitching, he will still face the usual spring training preparation period, pushing his return date back into the regular season.
In the meantime, the team will look to Tyler Megill, Jose Buttto and Joey Lucchesi as potential replacements for Chiga in the rotation.
Chiga, 31, told team officials after the first bullpen of spring training that he felt fatigue in his shoulder.
When the fatigue persisted after last week’s pitching session, the decision was made to send Senga for an MRI scan to confirm the diagnosis.
Last season, Chiga avoided being placed on the disabled list as a rookie, starting 29 games for the team and posting an ERA of 2.98.
He became the Mets’ No. 1 starting pitcher after the Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander trade last summer.
