Port St. Lucy – Finally, the ghost has reappeared.
Kodai Senga returned to the mound for Monday's match and spoke to Grapefruitreug's action for the Mets team who prefers more bullpen and live batting practice sessions.
After a strange season in 2024, Senga's 2025 began with a resolve to return to action.
“Finally he was able to go out there in a real competition,” said coach Carlos Mendoza, who saw Senga look sharp in another repertoire.
It was noteworthy that Senga was appearing at the exhibition, and wanted to test himself against his real enemy while Mets Mind wanted to increment his progress as much as possible.
Senga was not allowed for three innings and instead threw 12 pitches on the bullpen mound after two frames (and 31 pitches) ended.
“I'm extremely pleased that I can get out of it,” Senga said through interpreter Hiro Fujiwara. “There were so many things I wanted to try and try and be there that's great.”
Senga is always known for his ghost fork balls, but he has shown off a new sinker that gives him a new way to attack right-handed batters in particular.
He throws the pitch three times (two balls and a foul ball) and runs the ball with the hand of the right batter.
“It's a dangerous pitch,” Mendoza said of the two seamers. “He can control baseball in many ways.”
Senga also worked on a tweaked slider that caused violent whims with a strikeout from Otto Lopez.
Of his 31 pitches, 20 were strikes.
He touched 96 miles with a four-seam fastball.
He only used one ghost fork – against which Derek Hill singled, but he may have saved his most devastating product, the tactic he employed in his spring 2023 training.
He allowed only two base runners, hitting them while inducing five swings and mistakes.
He had to scramble what became an infield single to cover the first base and did so without any problems.
Everything was positive from the pitcher who wanted his repertoire to be the subject of conversation rather than his health.
Senga looks strong and the Mets hope he will look like a potential ace he may need.
Already down Frankie Montas (Rat Co.) and Sean Manaea (different), the Mets have to rely heavily on Senga, which is approaching as a particularly volatile variable this season.
In 2023 he emerged as an ace in his first season in the majors, improving as the season got longer, eventually winning CY Young votes and finishing with an ERA 2.98.
Last season, he descended in the spring with rear capsule tension on his shoulder. This was their first setback of the season.
After his original injury, his rehabilitation progress was paused due to lack of confidence in his mechanism.
Senga did not play in minor league matches until July 3rd, and did not watch the Major League Mound until July 26th.
The 5¹/₃ innings he pitched against the Braves that day would be his only job in the regular season.
Senga chased the pop-up and made his calf nervous as he came out of the mound, ending his electric outing.
Senga was not seen on the mound again until the postseason, as he tried to accumulate on the spot, lit up twice in three appearances and was charged with seven runs in five innings.
After the normal offseason, Senga has a healthy pitcher for camp, and the club is undoubtedly the most important.
The Mets insist on progressive steps until they like Senga to stay away from game action.
However, Senga had already wanted to see the action, so he returned him to Grapefruitreug on Monday.
“We're going to be a normal player and a regular starter when we're going to break camp,” Mendoza said of Senga. “I feel like I had time.”
