NEW YORK -- For three batters on Tuesday, Kodai Senga looked electric. Fastball in the upper 90s, touching 99 mph. Multiple swings and misses. Multiple strikeouts. In the first inning, it was easy to dream on the potential that made Senga an All-Star as a rookie three years ago.
Then that version of Senga disappeared, and his more familiar form returned to the mound. Wild. Erratic. Incapable of keeping a baseball game in hand.
Senga gave up five runs in the second inning of the Mets’ 9-6 loss to the Cubs, serving up a three-run homer to Pete Crow-Armstrong, walking in another run and otherwise looking unworthy of a rotation spot -- a strong statement on a team that ranks 27th in the Majors in starting pitcher ERA (4.87).
But such is Senga’s current status. With Christian Scott slated to return from the injured list this weekend, Senga -- even with teammate David Peterson struggling mightily every five games, and even with no strong options presenting themselves in the Minors or from outside the organization -- is not guaranteed another start.
“Performance matters here, and having outings like this are not going to cut it,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a decision, but that ain’t going to do it. We need better.”
Since returning from a back injury earlier this month, Senga is 0-2 with a 12.91 ERA. He is 0-6 overall on the season with a 10.08 mark, as well as 22 walks in 27 2/3 innings. Since bursting onto the scene with an All-Star season in 2023, posting a 2.98 ERA that year, Senga has struggled with injuries and inconsistencies, often bemoaning imperfections in his mechanics.
On Tuesday, after retiring Crow-Armstrong, Alex Bregman and Michael Busch using mostly fastballs in the first inning, Senga began using his sinker, cutter and slider far more liberally in the second. Within minutes the game had spiraled away from him.
“That’s the frustrating part -- he goes out there the first inning, and that’s the guy [that's] … capable of doing that. He’s throwing 98, 99, using the four-seam fastball and is just blowing it by people,” Mendoza said. “And then that second inning, he gets away from it. We’re in the dugout asking ourselves, ‘What’s going on here?’ It’s hard to explain it. It happened so quick. It’s just frustrating.”
Asked why he stopped relying so much on his fastball later in the game, Senga said through an interpreter that “it’s hard to throw only fastballs throughout the whole outing.”
“I need my other pitches,” he added. “In that first inning, what I’ve been working on showed in a positive way. In the latter innings, I … showed the worst parts.”
After the game, Mendoza said that Mets officials will meet to discuss Senga’s future. Last year, amid similar circumstances, Senga agreed to accept an option to correct himself in the Minors. He didn’t return until this Opening Day.
While the Mets could ask Senga to accept a similar option this year, he holds the right to reject any Minor League assignment and hasn’t considered whether he would do so this time. The Mets could also move him to the bullpen, though they’ve been hesitant to do that in the past and would be risking the success of what’s been a formidable relief corps. Or the Mets could designate Senga for assignment, eating the rest of his 2026 salary as well as the $15 million he’s owed next year. That would free him to hit the open market.
Those discussions will assuredly happen in the coming days. What’s clear is that with Scott returning as soon as Saturday from a right hip impingement, the Mets have reached an inflection point with Senga.
“As Mendy said, it’s a discussion to be had,” Senga said. “It’s their decision. All I can do is continue to prepare so that I can pitch in this league and continue to get batters out.”
"