Kodai Senga flashed a smile for his manager after completing about 30 bullpen pitches on Wednesday, which manager Carlos Mendoza called a “good sign” for the Mets and their injured ace.
Senga, the runner-up for the National League’s 2023 Rookie of the Year award, has not pitched this season after suffering from right shoulder periarthritis early in spring training.
Asked before the Mets’ 10-4 win over the Marlins at Citi Field on Wednesday night if he was confident he’d pitch in the major leagues in 2024, the Japanese right-hander responded through an interpreter: “Yes. … In my heart, that’s my plan.”
The 31-year-old had progressed to the point where he was facing batters in batting practice in late April, but suffered a setback last month when a triceps strain required a cortisone injection.
Senga publicly expressed frustration following the postponement, saying he needed to focus on fine-tuning his pitching motion, but acknowledged he felt more encouraged after Wednesday’s bullpen workout, his second in as many days.
“Everything is fine. It’s going well,” Senga said. “My understanding is that the live stream [batting practice] and [a rehab assignment] At some point.
“It’s hard to say [when]Of course, I want to play as soon as possible, but there are protocols and rehabilitation progress. All I can focus on is recovering and playing as soon as possible and pitching as many innings as possible.”
Mendoza said he expects it will take “maybe two more” bullpen outings before Senga is ready to face hitters in a controlled environment.
“It’s been a lot of ups and downs and a much slower pace than we expected,” Mendoza said. “Now that he’s on the mound, we’re hopeful we can continue to make progress and get him in games soon.”
Jeff McNeil returned to the lineup as the No. 9 batsman after watching the U.S. team lose to India in the T20 Cricket World Cup at Eisenhower Park on Long Island early Wednesday morning.
The two-time All-Star and 2022 National League batting leader has appeared in 60 games this season, batting .226 with one run and no hits in four at-bats and a .609 OPS.
He has started just one of the past six games.
Tyrone Taylor had 4 hits in 5 at-bats, tying his career high, set in a Brewers-Tigers game in September 2020.
Pete Alonso moved to fourth position and had one hit and one run in five at-bats.
