QUEENS, NY — The Mets made it clear that Kodai Senga’s season was just about over after suffering a high-grade calf strain, but Sunday all but officially confirmed it.
The 31-year-old right-hander was placed on the 60-day injured list on Sunday prior to the Mets’ series finale against the Atlanta Braves.
Senga suffered the injury during the sixth inning of his 2024 season debut on Friday night at Citi Field. After missing the first four months of the season with a strained shoulder and triceps inflammation, he looked like his usual ace-like self, striking out nine Braves while the Mets jumped out to a 7-2 lead.
But a pop-up from Austin Riley in between the mound and first base prompted Senga to make way for Pete Alonso, who moved toward the rubber to make the catch. Upon his first steps, though, Senga fell to the ground clutching his leg and immediately departed the game.
Manager Carlos Mendoza revealed on Saturday that it was a high-grade calf strain.
“I think it’s fair to say that he’s pretty much done for the regular season,” the skipper said.
His loss now puts the Mets down two starters as Christian Scott deals with a UCL tear. It could potentially thrust president of baseball operations David Stearns into the trade market before MLB’s July 31 deadline to bolster the starting rotation ahead of a stretch run that sees New York battling for the top Wild Card spot in the National League.
