Healthy Senga looks to capitalize on great spring in 2026 Mets debut

Mets starter Kodai Senga begins his quest to return to his 2023 All-Star form Tuesday night.

The 33-year-old righty is set to make his season debut against the Cardinals, with first pitch slated for 7:45 p.m. ET at Busch Stadium. Senga represents one of the biggest keys to helping this rebuilt Mets team right the ship after missing the postseason last year.

Senga followed up injury-riddled 2024 and '25 seasons with a standout Grapefruit League showing this spring. He allowed just two runs over 9 2/3 innings, striking out 11 and walking just one.

Each of his two earned runs came on solo homers in his first start of camp, coming on March 7 against the Cardinals. He followed that with three perfect innings on March 13 against the Marlins and four scoreless against the Astros on March 19.

Senga’s fastball was back to the upper-90s, touching 98.9 mph. He had not replicated that number in the regular season since August 2023. The signature “Ghost Fork” was working, too, with a pair of whiffs in his final spring outing.

Early in 2025, Senga appeared to be recreating the stuff that led to a 2.98 ERA and All-Star selection in 2023. He recorded a 1.47 ERA in 13 starts before straining his right hamstring in June. He then struggled in his return to the big leagues in July and August, accepted a Minor League demotion and never made it back to the Major League club.

“I’m healthy,” Senga said through an interpreter this spring, “and I think that’s the most important thing.”