Senga struggles with command at Triple-A in second rehab start

Kodai Senga's second rehab start was a mixed bag.

Pitching for Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, Senga struck out five Rochester Red Wings batters in 3 2/3 innings, with four of those K's coming on his signature forkball.

But the right-hander needed 80 pitches to get those 11 outs, and only 41 of those pitches went for strikes. He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, two walks and one hit-by-pitch.

Senga's four-seamer accounted for nearly 50% of his offerings in the game, and it's worth noting that after averaging 95.5 mph and touching 97 mph with that pitch in his first rehab start on May 22, Senga's average heater velocity was down a full tick in this outing, at 94.3 mph. He reached 96 mph just once Thursday, something he did nine times for Single-A St. Lucie last week.

Senga, who has been on the injured list since April 28 with lumbar spine inflammation, looked sharp at the outset Thursday, striking out the side in the first inning on 12 pitches. However, he ran into trouble in the second as he loaded the bases with one out on a single, a walk and an HBP. He then issued a five-pitch walk to Riley Adams to force in a run. Senga's second run allowed of the inning came on a Phillip Glasser sacrifice fly.

Senga worked around a single in the third inning and surrendered two more singles in the fourth, including a two-out RBI knock to Christian Franklin which marked the end of Senga's start. That run was unearned due to an error earlier in the frame by the Mets No. 3 prospect, first baseman Ryan Clifford.

Although the Mets don’t know how many rehab outings Senga will need, he can only remain on his rehab assignment through June 20. He may return before then, depending on how he fares.