Philadelphia – Kodai Senga’s Journey Back to the Mets
Kodai Senga’s path back to the majors kicks off on Friday. Having faced tough times at the big league level, he will make his first start with Triple-A Syracuse after accepting minor league options last week.
There’s an expectation—perhaps a bit of pressure—that he’ll need to impress in two outings to prepare for a potential return to the Mets for the last stretch of the regular season.
Since being reassigned, Senga has been working on his mechanics during bullpen sessions. He’s been vocal about the rough patch he went through, which featured an ERA of 6.56 over eight starts. Not his best moment, for sure.
Coach Carlos Mendoza shared that Senga is feeling good and seems to be in a better place mentally and physically. “He’s made some adjustments,” Mendoza noted, adding that now it’s time for him to perform on the mound again.
The Mets are not short on pitching options—currently having six starting pitchers. Mendoza hinted at some creativity in rotation strategies after the upcoming off-day on Monday.
However, Senga won’t be eligible to return to the majors until September 20, unless an injury situation arises within the team.
David Peterson, another pitcher, has been struggling, boasting a 7.42 ERA over his last six outings, which has led to some contemplation regarding his fit within the squad.
Interestingly, during a recent pre-game press conference, Mendoza addressed a somber topic while wearing a “NYPD” hat to honor the victims from September 11th, saying, “I respect and remember all the people and families that were lost.” It’s clear the team holds onto these connections beyond just the game.
As for Lewis Torrence, who has been dealing with an injury on his right forearm, there’s some positive news. According to Mendoza, he’s feeling better, and the swelling is going down. Nevertheless, the team anticipates he’ll miss at least 10 days recovering.
Tyrone Taylor, also on the injured list due to a hamstring issue, is expected to start rehab next week. Though, he might delay that as he focuses on family matters—his wife is expecting a baby, which understandably takes priority.
