Hours before Monday’s loss, the Mets’ dugout was crowded with staff and front office executives, including director of baseball operations David Stearns, hoping to catch a glimpse of the team’s ace.
Kodai Senga took the mound to face a batter for the first time since sustaining a right shoulder joint contusion in February.
They weren’t major league hitters — the Mets called up prospects Karel Paz and Jose Hernandez from High-A Brooklyn — but it was a big step for Senga, and he feels he was able to pass.
Chiga said he threw about 20 pitches, induced many whiffs, and his fastball reached the mid-90s. Chiga will not be eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until May 27th, and the hope is that his official return won’t be significantly delayed beyond that point.
“If things continue as they are, I think I’ll be back by then,” Chiga said through interpreter Hiro Fujiwara.
Chiga’s next games are Friday and next Tuesday, as he has two more live batting practices every four days. If he continues to feel well and recovers well, rehabilitation may follow.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said Chiga will pitch on five days of rest once he begins his rehab assignment, giving him the extra day the Mets usually gave Chiga last season.
As for Monday’s step, Mendoza was satisfied.
“I didn’t have any doubts about where the ball was going,” Mendoza said before the 3-1 loss to the Cubs at Citi Field. “He was using all his pitches and just loosening up on him.”
Coach Mendoza didn’t exactly use analytical data Sunday when he had Jose Quintana score the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Quintana spoke to stay on the mound and struck out Willson Contreras.
Stearns said Mendoza has that sensibility, which appealed to him during the hiring process.
“I think what made Mendy so appealing throughout the interview process was his ability to read situations, both in the game and in the clubhouse with people,” Stearns said. “Understanding how humans react in different situations. And we spent the first month of the season watching how he manages the clubhouse and how he manages in-game. I think we’ve seen that play out in terms of how we’re managing it.
“This is what we expected. I think he’s doing a really good job.”
David Peterson (hip surgery) pitched flawlessly on Sunday against Low-A St. Lucie, with two innings and five strikeouts.
Peterson’s fastball was 93 to 95 mph, Mendoza said, “and it came out well.” “Everything is positive.”
Peterson is scheduled to pitch again Friday at St. Lucie.
A promising but distant prospect has been promoted.
Jonah Tong, a 20-year-old right-hander who pitched 18/3 innings for St. Lucie with no earned runs and 36 strikeouts, was promoted to High-A Brooklyn.
Starling Marte is expected to be taken off the bereavement list on Tuesday, so another Metropolitan will have to leave to make room.
Freshly called up Mark Vientos is the most likely candidate to be shuffled to Triple-A Syracuse, but at least the Mets are leaving the door open for the unexpected.
“I think you know what’s going to happen when Marte comes back,” Stearns said. “He said one thing I’ve learned in this job is don’t make a decision until you have to make one.”
Mendoza made the decision to start right-handed hitter Vientos instead of left-handed hitter Brett Batty to face right-handed hitter Jameson Taillon on Monday. Vientos, the hero of Sunday’s walk-off home run, was 0-for-3 before coming off the bench.
Defensively, Vientos pitched well in the fourth inning, successfully jumping over a soft grounder from Christopher Morrell, but his throw sent Pete Alonso diving and barely stepping on base for an out.
Batty took his seat during a funk that could lead to further questions about the Mets’ third baseman job. Batty has cooled off considerably this season after getting off to a strong start. After he struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning, Batty has one home run and a .632 OPS in 26 games.
Can the Mets find a way to keep Vientos’ bat at the major league level? It’s possible, but unlikely. They could option DJ Stewart, who has the advantage of being a left-handed hitter who can compete with late-inning right-handers. He also could decide that the best course of action at third base is a timeshare with Vientos and perhaps Joey Wendle platooning if Batty feels he needs more time in Triple-A. .
Such a move would be unusual for Stearns, who likes to wait about 45 games before analyzing his team (and perhaps making more significant changes). But the good weather for Vientos at least guarantees him a second appearance, which means Batty was watching from the dugout on Monday.
When asked about Batty, Stearns first praised his glove, which is much better than last season.
“He continues to get comfortable over there,” Stearns said of Batty’s performance at No. 3. “Not just the routine plays, but also the really difficult plays at times. And that was really encouraging for us.”
What isn’t very encouraging is Batty’s bat, and although he has made more contact this season, his hitting power is not very strong.
Still, Batty was hitting .316 with a .757 OPS as of April 15th. Batty, 24, left the game on April 16 with a hamstring strain, took a few days off, and has played in three of 23 games since returning.
“I think he’s off to a really good start. He’s come back from missing a few days with his hamstring, so he’s been a little cooler lately,” Stearns said in a media briefing during the homestand. . “That’s part of the baseball season and part of what young players have to go through to really establish themselves is fighting through stretches like this and getting back to a place where they feel good at the plate. That’s it.”
