WASHINGTON -- Mets pitcher Kodai Senga will begin a Minor League rehab assignment Friday for Single-A St. Lucie, setting into motion a 30-day clock that theoretically should have Senga back to the Mets by mid-June.
Although the team does not know how many rehab outings Senga will need, he can only remain on assignment through June 20. It’s possible he will return before then, depending on how he fares. It’s also possible Senga will suffer a setback that requires more time off, as has occurred in previous years. But as of right now, manager Carlos Mendoza said, Senga “feels really good, and he’s ready to go in competition.”
Senga, who has been on the injured list since April 27 due to lumbar spine inflammation, is scheduled to throw a maximum of four innings and around 50-60 pitches in Friday’s outing. It will be his first game competition since receiving an epidural in late April. Senga continued his ramp-up with three innings in a live batting practice session last Sunday in Florida.
“We’ve just got to go turn by turn, see how he continues to respond,” Mendoza said.
No Mets pitcher remains more enigmatic than Senga, who finished second in 2023 National League Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 2.98 ERA over 29 starts. The next season, Senga made just one regular-season appearance due to shoulder, triceps and calf issues, before returning to struggle mightily in the playoffs. Senga rebounded to post a 1.47 ERA over his first 13 outings last year, but he subsequently strained his hamstring and went 0-3 with a 5.90 ERA the rest of the way.
This year, Senga reported to Spring Training in apparent top form. But after a transcendent Grapefruit League campaign and two solid starts to open the regular season, Senga produced a 17.28 ERA over his next three outings. Following the third of them, he complained of lower back discomfort and went on the IL.
After restarting a throwing program earlier this month, Senga noted that his velocity was where it needed to be, but his mechanics were not.
“What it comes down to is, I just need to be able to get hitters out,” Senga said through an interpreter. “There have been lingering things with my body that have affected the delivery and have caused me to not be able to perform at my best. Without being at my best, it’s hard to get hitters out at this level. But I know that once I get back there, I know I’m capable of that. And I have no intention of coming back if I’m not 100 percent.”
“If it’s anything less than that, these hitters are going to catch up and take advantage. So that’s the goal, is 100 percent.”