Mets Optimistic About Kodai Senga’s Return Before End of Regular Season
The New York Mets expressed growing confidence on Saturday that ace Kodai Senga could return before the conclusion of the regular season.
“I’m pretty optimistic right now,” said David Stearns, president of baseball operations. “He’s feeling good. If everything continues progressing as it is, we should see him back on the mound.”
After missing the first four months of the season with a shoulder injury, Senga made his return in late July, delivering a stellar 5 1/3 innings in one start before a calf strain sidelined him again. Since then, he has been gradually working his way back, including his first live batting practice on Friday.
Senga is expected to throw another live session early next week. If he responds well, a rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse could follow by the end of the week.
He becomes eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on September 25, which aligns with a key series against the Atlanta Braves during the final week of the regular season. The Mets have mapped out a tentative plan where Senga could pitch on a limited count, with left-hander José Quintana set to follow him in the game. The club would prefer to use Senga as a starter with reduced innings rather than push him into an unfamiliar long-relief role.
The Mets’ rotation for the series against Atlanta currently features Luis Severino, David Peterson, and Sean Manaea. Should Senga be ready, Peterson would likely shift to the final weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Manager Carlos Mendoza remains cautiously optimistic but is keeping focus on Senga’s physical condition.
“Hopefully he’ll be a factor for us down the stretch,” Mendoza said. “We just need to wait and see how he’s doing physically.”
Senga shone as the Mets’ best pitcher during his rookie year in 2023, posting a 2.98 ERA over 166 1/3 innings. His only appearance this season was also against Atlanta, where he allowed two runs on two hits and struck out nine over 5 1/3 innings.
In other injury news, right-hander Paul Blackburn has been sidelined due to a spinal fluid leak in his mid-back, according to Stearns. While the injury sounds severe, Stearns reassured that it’s not expected to be a long-term issue, though there is no timeline for Blackburn’s return in 2024. He last pitched in late August, landing on the injured list after suffering a right-hand contusion from a line-drive comebacker.
Additionally, right-hander Christian Scott’s chances of making a return this season are dwindling. Scott is still recovering from a sprain in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Sunday. The Mets are hoping to put stress on his elbow before the season ends to assess whether surgery will be required.
Meanwhile, reliever Dedniel Núñez received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection on Friday to treat an injury. If the treatment is ineffective, offseason surgery may be necessary, though it would not involve Tommy John surgery. The Mets remain hopeful that the PRP injection will allow Núñez to avoid surgery, though his season is already over.
