NEW YORK -- After Kodai Senga’s post-injury comeback encountered another clunky start on Tuesday night at Citi Field -- where the righty’s start crumbled into a seven-run outing against the Cubs after a dazzling first inning -- manager Carlos Mendoza said that the Mets would have to make a decision about Senga’s future.
On Wednesday, Mendoza announced that Senga would move to the bullpen for the foreseeable future. The specific nature of his role is still to be determined -- whether it’s in a multi-inning capacity or he could settle into a higher-leverage spot when necessary.
“Just like some of the other guys,” Mendoza said before Game 1 of the Mets’ split doubleheader, “the game will dictate. I mean, we saw what he’s capable of doing. We’ve seen flashes of it: You see that first inning yesterday, he’s throwing 98, 99 [mph], just throwing that fastball by people.
“So I think it’s just keeping it simple out of that role. We told him, ‘You’ll pitch an inning, you have to be ready to go the next day.’ I know there’s going to be an adjustment here, we’ll take care of him. But he’s one of those guys now in the bullpen.”
In two starts this month since returning from a back injury, Senga has allowed 11 runs and nine walks while striking out 11 batters in 7 2/3 innings. In the second inning against the Cubs on Tuesday, after blowing fastballs by batters and showing glimpses of the brilliance from his 2023 rookie season, he unraveled with walks and a hit-by-pitch before allowing a three-run blast to Pete Crow-Armstrong -- capping a five-run frame that put New York in an early hole.
Through seven starts, Senga is 0-6 with a 10.08 ERA in 27 2/3 innings. The next time that Senga enters the game for the Mets will be the first time that the right-hander pitches from the bullpen in his Major League career.
He has some experience with the role early on in his career in Nippon Professional Baseball with the SoftBank Hawks, breaking onto the scene as a reliever in 2013 before later becoming a starter. Senga also pitched in a relief role in the 2017 World Baseball Classic for Samurai Japan, going 1-1 with a 0.82 ERA and 16 strikeouts (one walk) in 11 innings -- while making the All-Tournament team.
But Senga has crafted a reputation for meticulous preparation and routine in his tenure with the Mets, so it remains to be seen how comfortably he’ll settle into the bullpen role in this unique situation. What is clear is that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to correct himself and help the team -- like when he accepted a demotion to the Minors last year to sort out his mechanics when he began to struggle.
“I mean, he’s a pro,” Mendoza said. “He understands where we are as a team. He knows that he hasn’t been at his best, he’s dealt with injuries and all that. He knows that he’s obviously more than capable to continue to help the team win baseball games. He was very respectful, professional. He understood. He’ll be ready to go.”