With Minors season ending, clock ticking for Mets, Senga to chart path forward
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NEW YORK – Don’t expect Mets right-hander Kodai Senga to pitch in the Major Leagues any time soon.
On Thursday, Senga had a rough outing for Triple-A Syracuse, allowing four runs in 3 2/3 innings in an 8-2 loss to Lehigh Valley. Senga then had a conversation with Mets brass on Friday and told them he needed another outing before he would consider going back to The Show. The problem is, the Minor League season is over after Sunday, so the Mets have to figure out a way for him to face hitters in a live setting.
“We are in the process of figuring things out, where we are going to give him those live looks,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Stuff-wise, he was down – whether it was the velo or the execution. The secondary pitches were not sharp. Then watching the film, you could see it. That’s probably one of the reasons he is asking us [to face live hitters one more time]. He wants to continue to work with those issues.”
It’s hard to believe that this is the same Senga who had a great first half, going 7-3 with a 1.39 ERA over his first 14 starts. But after coming back from a right hamstring injury, Senga had a tough time getting hitters out. In his next eight starts after coming off the injured list on July 11, Senga was winless with a 6.56 ERA.
Mendoza said Senga is 100 percent healthy, but the team still doesn't know why he has been inconsistent on the mound.
“There are no issues with him. He is not favoring anything. We haven’t been able to help him, whether it’s mechanics or whatever the case might be. But we haven’t got there yet. This is where we are at, so, physically, he is fine,” Mendoza said.
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With Senga’s approval, the Mets optioned him to Syracuse on Sept. 5. In two starts for Syracuse since the demotion, Senga has allowed five runs in 9 2/3 innings. If the Mets advance to the postseason, it’s unknown what Senga’s role would be. The Mets are not ruling anything out. Entering Friday’s action, New York had a two-game lead over the Reds and D-backs for the third and final NL Wild Card spot.
“We got to get [to the postseason] first,” Mendoza said.