With the Mets making a final push to qualify for the postseason, Kodai Senga said he still believes there's a chance he could return for the final week of the regular season.
Senga, who has been sidelined since suffering a serious calf injury in his only start for the Mets this season on July 26, said Monday at Citi Field that he believes he will be able to pitch for the team in some capacity if he is eligible to return from the disabled list on Sept. 25.
That will also include pitching out of the bullpen, since his schedule won't allow him to be ready as a starter at that time.
“I'm open to anything,” Senga said through an interpreter.
Senga elaborated before the start of the Red Sox-Mets series.
“Given where we are this season, realistically, can I pitch five or six innings as a starter? Probably not,” he said. “Whether they use me as a starter or as a reliever is up to them. I just want to be able to pitch as many innings as possible for the team.”
Senga's return also depends on the Mets being able to compete for a wild-card spot.
The Mets entered Monday nine games back from a season-high 50% win rate after a 7-3 road win and one game back of Atlanta for the final National League wild-card spot.
Senga is still working on fully recovering from his calf injury and did some agility drills on Monday, and manager Carlos Mendoza said he was able to play catch from the mound on Sunday.
Mendoza added that Senga could return before the postseason, based on discussions between Senga and team trainers.
“Sitting here right now, that's it,” the manager said. “Talking with him and the trainers and watching him play catch, I'm optimistic.”
Senga is continuing to rehab his calf injury but said he is already feeling good.
If he takes the mound for the Mets, the team will have to determine a role, but Mendoza expects that to be decided within the next few weeks.
“If he's healthy, we can use him anyway. Whether it's as a starter, in a pitch count or as a relief pitcher, we'll talk to him,” Mendoza said. “The most important thing is he's got to be 100 percent healthy and back ready for us to win ballgames, and if he's 100 percent, he will.”
And Mendoza added that when it comes to Senga, “everything is on the table.”
The pitcher is expected to start about once a week to stay healthy, and then he missed the first half of the season with a shoulder capsule strain, so it's hard to imagine the Mets using him too aggressively in the playoffs.
But Mendoza wouldn't rule anything out.
“One thing we know is he's willing to do anything. Especially this time of year, every pitch, every game. [is important]”I wouldn't be surprised to see him in any role,” Mendoza said.
The 31-year-old is in the second year of a five-year, $75 million contract and emerged as the team's ace last season, but has only pitched 5 1/3 innings in the majors so far this season.
“The word that best describes this season is 'tough,'” Senga said. “It's disappointing not to be able to play.”
