On Thursday, the New York Mets will finish their four-game series against the Washington Nationals.
Left-handed David Peterson will be the starting pitcher for the Mets as they look to even the series in Washington. Peterson enters Wednesday’s game with a 2-4 record and a 5.40 ERA in 10 games, five of which he has started.
Prior to the game, manager Carlos Mendoza made an announcement regarding the status of former All-Star pitcher Kodai Senga.
New York Mets Announce Decision on Kodai Senga
New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga is in the middle of the worst season of his Major League Baseball career. The right-handed pitcher has an 0-4 record and a 9.00 ERA in five starts, before he was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a back injury.
Regarding Senga, Mendoza announced that he will begin a minor league rehab assignment tomorrow for Single-A St. Lucie.
Senga has not appeared in any game since April 26, where he allowed three runs across 2.2 innings against the Colorado Rockies before departing having only thrown 50 pitches.
Prior to his last start against Colorado, Mendoza had made the decision to keep Senga in the rotation despite his struggles. After Mendoza’s decision, Mets on SI’s John Sparaco wrote on April 19:
“Senga, 33, began the season strong, allowing four earned runs with 16 strikeouts in 11.2 innings over his first two outings. Paired with an impressive spring training, it appeared the right-hander was back on track following his rough ending to the 2025 campaign. But lately, things have spiraled.
In Friday’s 12-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs, Senga allowed six earned runs on six hits, including two home runs, and three walks over 3.1 innings. He lasted just 2.1 innings in his previous start against the Athletics, yielding seven earned runs on eight hits and two home runs.”
Regarding whether Senga can return to his previous form, DiComo wrote for MLB.com: “At his best, Senga still possesses the arsenal of a frontline starter, as evidenced by the 98-99 mph fastballs he threw in Spring Training and the 41 percent whiff rate he generated with his ghost fork prior to his injury. The problem is that Senga has rarely been at his best. And he’s running out of time to prove himself.”
Social Media Reaction
Kodai Senga beginning his rehab assignment was met with the following reaction on social media:
@DennisUltima: “The rotation is in such shambles this is actually good news lol”
@mpasco26: Bring him back as a set up man. Multiple use out of the pen with his pitches actually should benefit him.
@GiraffeNeckMarc: “Kodai Senga has been insanely disappointing. 2023 feels like a fever dream”
@MeekPhill_: “Keep him there”
@j_nucero: “if we are in need of him in a month then things probably went wrong and we are in trouble.”
@dykstra28: “I hope his rehab assignment lasts until the end of his Mets contract.”
@Hustlediva1: “He won’t make it out of AAA again.”
@LAZARORUIZ35962: “Waste of a roster spot.”
New York Mets Announce Kodai Senga Decision Amid Struggles