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CINCINNATI — There had been a time when the ghost forkball was a diabolical force and Kodai Senga was viewed as a top-of-the-rotation piece for the Mets.
But a lot has changed in the last year.
A little more than a year ago, Senga was back on top. He had notched seven wins in 13 starts. He appeared to be cruising toward a second All-Star selection with a 1.47 ERA and 1.11 WHIP.
All too often within Senga's four-year tenure with the Mets, injuries befell the once-dominant right-hander. The Mets have been looking for that devilish effectiveness to return ever since a freak hamstring injury set him back.
In his first start back from his latest stint on the injured list after being sidelined with lumbar spine inflammation following his April 26 start, Senga continued his search for consistent results.
Senga walked the opening two batters of the game and surrendered a three-run home run to Sal Stewart before recording an out. Three batters later, Senga's nightmarish start to his return continued when he gave up a solo home run to Spencer Steer.
The Mets could not recover from the early four-run hole and dropped a 5-3 loss to the Reds in front of 28,710 fans on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.
"First time back out there on a big league mound in a little while. Just wasn't able to gather it all together in that beginning," Senga said through an interpreter.
Senga finished with four runs on two hits and a season-high four walks in four innings while striking out five. He maintained a 9.00 ERA or 24 earned runs in 24 innings across his six starts. The Mets badly need some improvement from Senga to aid a rotation in flux.
The Mets lost Christian Scott to a right hip impingement on Monday and have a hole in the final rotation spot where David Peterson has been unable to find his footing.
"We need those guys to set the tone," Mendoza said. "We've seen it throughout the course of the year that when we get the quality outings there, those guys are going to give us a chance. With the offense, with the bullpen, but we got to be better. We need more from them. We expect more from them, and they know that."
There were at least some signs that Senga could settle in.
He closed out the first inning by striking out Tyler Stephenson on a forkball and did not give up a hit over his next three innings.
Senga needed to stray from the ghost forkball, which only got one whiff on 12 pitches and produced the first two walks in the first inning, and established his cutter, which he threw 33 percent of the time and notched four whiffs, and picked up swing-and-misses on nearly half of his nine sliders.
"I noticed that they weren't swinging at much down in the zone so pivoted over to the slider," Senga said. "Threw a lot of sliders and that was effective because those last three innings were effective. That first inning is frustrating."
The Mets erased a one-out walk by Stewart in the third inning when Senga struck out Nathaniel Lowe on a low sinker on the 11th pitch of his at-bat. Stewart was thrown out trying to steal on that strikeout.
Senga finished his outing with two of his strikeouts on fastballs in the fifth inning, showing some of the past poise that had made him a top piece for the Mets at one time.
"I think my condition was good, my feel was good," Senga said. "Just kind of trying to go back out there and replicate that if I get another chance."
The Mets offense found themselves digging out of a sizable hole for the second straight game after Tobias Myers gave up seven earned runs in 1⅓ innings on Monday.
The Mets offense came away empty in two chances with the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings. Bo Bichette was the only Met to dent Brady Singer's line on a third-inning RBI single. Mark Vientos added a pinch-hit two-run home run in the seventh, but the Mets left 11 runners on base and were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Mendoza will get another crack at earning his spot in the Mets' starting rotation, Mendoza said, but the results will need to come for him to remain there.
"I think as long as I'm able to prepare the way I should prepare in between outings, I should be able to go out there and be effective, and that's the goal," Senga said.
The devilish effectiveness of the ghost forkball that had once been Kodai Senga's bread-and-butter has vanished.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Did Kodai Senga do enough to earn another start? Mets need more from righty
Continue reading...
But a lot has changed in the last year.
A little more than a year ago, Senga was back on top. He had notched seven wins in 13 starts. He appeared to be cruising toward a second All-Star selection with a 1.47 ERA and 1.11 WHIP.
All too often within Senga's four-year tenure with the Mets, injuries befell the once-dominant right-hander. The Mets have been looking for that devilish effectiveness to return ever since a freak hamstring injury set him back.
In his first start back from his latest stint on the injured list after being sidelined with lumbar spine inflammation following his April 26 start, Senga continued his search for consistent results.
Senga walked the opening two batters of the game and surrendered a three-run home run to Sal Stewart before recording an out. Three batters later, Senga's nightmarish start to his return continued when he gave up a solo home run to Spencer Steer.
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The Mets could not recover from the early four-run hole and dropped a 5-3 loss to the Reds in front of 28,710 fans on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.
"First time back out there on a big league mound in a little while. Just wasn't able to gather it all together in that beginning," Senga said through an interpreter.
Senga finished with four runs on two hits and a season-high four walks in four innings while striking out five. He maintained a 9.00 ERA or 24 earned runs in 24 innings across his six starts. The Mets badly need some improvement from Senga to aid a rotation in flux.
The Mets lost Christian Scott to a right hip impingement on Monday and have a hole in the final rotation spot where David Peterson has been unable to find his footing.
"We need those guys to set the tone," Mendoza said. "We've seen it throughout the course of the year that when we get the quality outings there, those guys are going to give us a chance. With the offense, with the bullpen, but we got to be better. We need more from them. We expect more from them, and they know that."
There were at least some signs that Senga could settle in.
He closed out the first inning by striking out Tyler Stephenson on a forkball and did not give up a hit over his next three innings.
Senga needed to stray from the ghost forkball, which only got one whiff on 12 pitches and produced the first two walks in the first inning, and established his cutter, which he threw 33 percent of the time and notched four whiffs, and picked up swing-and-misses on nearly half of his nine sliders.
"I noticed that they weren't swinging at much down in the zone so pivoted over to the slider," Senga said. "Threw a lot of sliders and that was effective because those last three innings were effective. That first inning is frustrating."
The Mets erased a one-out walk by Stewart in the third inning when Senga struck out Nathaniel Lowe on a low sinker on the 11th pitch of his at-bat. Stewart was thrown out trying to steal on that strikeout.
You must be registered for see images
Senga finished his outing with two of his strikeouts on fastballs in the fifth inning, showing some of the past poise that had made him a top piece for the Mets at one time.
"I think my condition was good, my feel was good," Senga said. "Just kind of trying to go back out there and replicate that if I get another chance."
The Mets offense found themselves digging out of a sizable hole for the second straight game after Tobias Myers gave up seven earned runs in 1⅓ innings on Monday.
The Mets offense came away empty in two chances with the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings. Bo Bichette was the only Met to dent Brady Singer's line on a third-inning RBI single. Mark Vientos added a pinch-hit two-run home run in the seventh, but the Mets left 11 runners on base and were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Mendoza will get another crack at earning his spot in the Mets' starting rotation, Mendoza said, but the results will need to come for him to remain there.
"I think as long as I'm able to prepare the way I should prepare in between outings, I should be able to go out there and be effective, and that's the goal," Senga said.
The devilish effectiveness of the ghost forkball that had once been Kodai Senga's bread-and-butter has vanished.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Did Kodai Senga do enough to earn another start? Mets need more from righty
Continue reading...
