Kodai Senga looked just like the New York Mets’ ace of old from his brilliant 2023 rookie season in his spring training debut on Monday.
The 32-year-old right-hander went two scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins, allowing two hits with two strikeouts. Of his 31 pitches, 20 were for strikes before throwing 12 more pitches on a bullpen mound following his start.
His ghost forkball looked as imposing as ever, but he also displayed a new sinker, which gives Senga a pitch to run in on right-handers.
His manager, Carlos Mendoza, labeled it “a dangerous pitch.”
Also featured was a tweaked slider that nearly had Otto Lopez swing out of his shoes. Most importantly, though, Senga emerged unharmed when running to cover first on an infield single.
“I’m just very pleased that I’m able to get out of it healthy,” Senga said through his interpreter, Hiro Fujiwara. “There were a lot of things I wanted to try out that I was able to do.”
Keeping Senga healthy will continue to be a top priority of the Mets, who received just 5.1 regular-season innings from their ace last year after he battled shoulder issues and then injured his calf during his very brief season debut in late July.
New York’s rotational depth is already being tested this spring, with Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea shelved for the early portions of the new season due to injury.
Senga, though, is the Mets’ undisputed No. 1 heading into 2025. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball upon making the jump from Japan two years ago, posting a 2.98 ERA with 202 strikeouts. He finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in the Cy Young race.
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