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The New York Mets may not have to wait much longer for their ace Kodai Senga to make his 2024 MLB season debut.
SNY’s Robert Sanchez (via Yahoo Sports) shared comments from Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who stated before their matchup against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday that Senga threw a successful bullpen session on Wednesday, which could set him up to clear another major hurdle in his rehab.
“He threw his bullpen, now we’ll see how the next couple of days unfold and hopefully he’s facing hitters the next time he’s touching a mound,” Mendoza said.
Mets: Kodai Senga is progressing in rehab after a series of frustrating setbacks
Senga has been out all spring with a posterior capsule strain in his right shoulder. He has taken the mound several times in the early portion of the season but has had trouble with his mechanics.
The Japanese All-Star has been adamant about taking his rehab process slowly. He made it clear to reporters on numerous occasions that he wanted to feel completely comfortable with his repertoire before graduating to further steps in his recovery program.
Senga’s imminent return is ripening at an opportune time for the Mets
Encouragingly, Senga seems like he’s on the precipice of taking the mound in a game for the first time this summer. The Mets are on a tear of late. They’ve won eight of their last 10 contests and just had their seven-game winning streak snapped in their 5-3 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday.
Thus, getting their best pitcher back in the midst of this momentum could give them more life. Senga tossed 202 strikeouts behind a 2.98 ERA in 2023. The hope is that he can replicate or exceed those numbers in 2024.
