NEW YORK — Kodai Senga won’t return during the regular season after all.
The New York Mets expected their top pitcher to be ready for a return this week. Instead, manager Carlos Mendoza said that Senga reported tightness in his tricep after making a rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse Saturday night. THough Senga won’t pitch in the regular season, he will continue to throw in hopes of contributing at some point in October should the Mets make the playoffs.
The Mets (86-69) have remained in playoff contention without him. New York entered Sunday with a two-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the final NL playoff spot. There are seven games left, including three in Atlanta. The Mets’ rotation for their series against the Braves remains unclear, though Senga was never going to be an option during that critical series. He was expected to return next weekend in Milwaukee.
Kodai Senga felt tightness in his tricep, Carlos Mendoza said.
He will not return in the regular season, Mendoza said.
However, he will continue to throw.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) September 22, 2024
After finishing runner up for the NL Rookie of the Year Award last year, Senga has dealt with a few different issues in 2024. A shoulder injury knocked him out from the start of spring training until late July, when he made his only start of the regular season. In that outing, he suffered a calf strain after striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings.
Ahead of Saturday’s rehab start in Syracuse, team officials had expressed optimism that Senga would be ready to return. At the least, they expected him to work as a short-inning starter, operating like an opener. But after the latest setback, that option is now off the table, at least during the regular season.
(Top photo of Kodai Senga earlier this season: Rich Schultz / Getty Images)
