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Before Tuesday's game between the Mets and Cincinnati Reds, manager Carlos Mendoza was asked what he wants to see from Kodai Senga, who is starting for New York for the first time since April 26, and also gave updates on some injured players who are working their way back.
With Senga making his first start since returning from the injured list due to lumbar spine inflammation that forced him out for nearly two months, Mendoza had a message for the right-hander who had been struggling mightily before landing on the IL.
"Go out there, be himself, compete, give us a chance to win a baseball game," the skipper said. "Attack hitters, use all of his pitches and be the best version of yourself."
It sounds simple, but Senga had not been doing any of those things in his five starts to begin the year, particularly in his last three starts, where he allowed 16 earned runs in 8.1 IP, which ballooned his ERA to 9.00.
After a fantastic rookie season in 2023, few things have gone right for the Japanese-born pitcher. He made one start in 2024, had a phenomenal first half in 2025 before an injury kept him out for a month and he ended the season with a rough second half, and has looked nothing like the budding star he was in his first year so far this season.
But with the Mets' starting rotation in flux because of injuries, Senga, who is fully healthy once again, will get another chance to prove he can still be a valuable asset to the team.
Francisco Lindor: Played three innings of a simulated game on Monday and "came out good after". He’s scheduled to play another simulated game on Wednesday at Citi Field, this time maybe five innings, per Mendoza.
"He’s doing a lot," Mendoza said. "The three innings is nonstop, pretty much where he’s taking ground balls, hitting, taking swings, running and all that. Pretty intense."
Clay Holmes: "He’s off the boot. He’s playing catch, light catch. But still in the early stages," Mendoza said.
Jorge Polanco: "He had some live at-bats yesterday with Lindor," Mendoza said. "I think he’s scheduled to have live at-bats again tomorrow and we’ll see what we got after that."
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Mendoza's message to Senga
With Senga making his first start since returning from the injured list due to lumbar spine inflammation that forced him out for nearly two months, Mendoza had a message for the right-hander who had been struggling mightily before landing on the IL.
"Go out there, be himself, compete, give us a chance to win a baseball game," the skipper said. "Attack hitters, use all of his pitches and be the best version of yourself."
It sounds simple, but Senga had not been doing any of those things in his five starts to begin the year, particularly in his last three starts, where he allowed 16 earned runs in 8.1 IP, which ballooned his ERA to 9.00.
After a fantastic rookie season in 2023, few things have gone right for the Japanese-born pitcher. He made one start in 2024, had a phenomenal first half in 2025 before an injury kept him out for a month and he ended the season with a rough second half, and has looked nothing like the budding star he was in his first year so far this season.
But with the Mets' starting rotation in flux because of injuries, Senga, who is fully healthy once again, will get another chance to prove he can still be a valuable asset to the team.
Rapid fire injury updates
Francisco Lindor: Played three innings of a simulated game on Monday and "came out good after". He’s scheduled to play another simulated game on Wednesday at Citi Field, this time maybe five innings, per Mendoza.
"He’s doing a lot," Mendoza said. "The three innings is nonstop, pretty much where he’s taking ground balls, hitting, taking swings, running and all that. Pretty intense."
Clay Holmes: "He’s off the boot. He’s playing catch, light catch. But still in the early stages," Mendoza said.
Jorge Polanco: "He had some live at-bats yesterday with Lindor," Mendoza said. "I think he’s scheduled to have live at-bats again tomorrow and we’ll see what we got after that."
Continue reading...
