PHILADELPHIA — Kodai Senga allowed a run over two innings in his return to the New York Mets’ rotation in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Senga was making his first start in over two months, and he was doing so in the cauldron of October baseball at Citizens Bank Park.
Three pitches in, the Mets’ October surprise looked like a mistake. That’s when Kyle Schwarber launched — and we mean launched — a 96 mph Senga fastball into the second deck in right field for a leadoff home run.
KYLE SCHWARBER LEADOFF TANK 😳 pic.twitter.com/yJdMJsDINQ
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2024
Senga recovered from that point, though. He retired six of the next seven Philadelphia Phillies. He threw 31 pitches (18 strikes) in his two innings. He struck out three and walked one.
In the process, the right-hander showed he should still be an option for the Mets later in this series, perhaps in a similar role in a decisive Game 5.
While Senga’s fastball velocity was down about a half-mile per hour from where it sat most of last summer, his forkball remains as difficult to hit as ever. He threw it six times, the Phillies swung at it three times, and they missed all three.
Kodai Senga, Disappearing Ghost Forks. 👻🍴 pic.twitter.com/UkHny2AInL
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 5, 2024
David Peterson replaced Senga in the bottom of the third inning. Having closed out Thursday’s Wild Card Series win over the Brewers, Peterson was not a candidate to be a traditional starter in this Game 1. Tylor Megill, who was the primary candidate to start Game 1 before Senga’s return, is expected to be used in this game as well.
Senga was starting a game for just the second time this season — and first since late July. The ace had missed all of spring training and the first four months of the regular season with shoulder and triceps injuries. He returned to look sharp in one start against Atlanta in late July, only to strain his calf during the game and land back on the 60-day injured list.
Senga appeared close to a big-league return in the final week of the season, only for the triceps issue to manifest once again. After a pair of live batting practice sessions, the most recent one on Monday, Senga let the Mets know he was ready to return.
(Photo: Heather Barry / Getty Images)
