The New York Mets might soon clinch a playoff spot this postseason. They might be doing without starting pitcher Kodai Senga. There was hope that the third-year Mets pitcher would be back on a major league roster once he was healthy.
In a report from ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, that hope isn’t going according to plan. Senga was optioned to Triple-A a few weeks ago to get healthier and fix his pitching mechanics. Senga was set to return to the Mets’ major league roster on Saturday after playing in a few Triple-A games. His performance, however, showed he isn’t ready.
There was hope for Senga’s return after allowing only one run and three hits while delivering eight strikeouts in six innings in the Syracuse Mets’ win over the Worcester Red Sox on Sept. 12. That hope came crashing down when he allowed six hits, two walks, and four runs in 3.2 innings in the loss at the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Thursday.
Can Mets’ Kodai Senga Overcome Setback?
This performance was a huge blow to Senga and his hopes of returning to the Mets in time for the postseason. There isn’t another opportunity for Senga to bounce back with another pitching performance. The minor league season concludes on Sunday which closes more game simulations.
Last season showed previous concerns about his durability and pitching mechanics. It was, however, much earlier in the year. There are more signs this year that durability is playing a significant role in his bad habits in his pitching.
With Senga not being able to make his case in one more Triple-A game, the Mets are going to have him face off in a simulated pitching setup next time, early next week. Not even this setup is a great simulation to show that Senga is ready to get back to the starting lineup with either his hamstring or his mechanics.
There is serious doubt that Senga will find his way back onto New York’s roster as the team gets closer to postseason play. There were speculations that Senga might not have been selected back on the 40-man roster even if he had a solid outing on Thursday.
What’s Next for Kodai Senga and the Mets
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about the potential of Senga returning to the team in time for the playoffs if he had a great Triple-A set of performances. Mendoza was hopeful, but not certain.
“I wouldn’t definitely. I think we’ll have the conversations. We’ll take the best 13 guys that we feel are going to give us the best chance to win baseball games in October. But in the meantime, we got 10 more, and we’ll continue to treat it that way.”
After Thursday’s performance, and with still some questions remaining about Senga’s mechanics and health, there shouldn’t be optimism that he is one of those 13 pitchers. The only hope for Senga is that he has an explosive set of simulations within the next few days. Even then, there is some doubt, as he wasn’t able to perform consistently in an actual game setting.
Mets’ Kodai Senga Faces Uncertainty After Latest Setback