Kodai Senga has to figure it out before the New York Mets completely lose patience with him.
The 33-year-old right-hander had another horrid start on Monday, when he was smacked around by the Chicago Cubs in a 9-6 Mets loss at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t seem to mince his words when he spoke after Senga’s latest mound nightmare.
“Performing matters here and having outings like these are not gonna cut it,” Mendoza said, via Tyler Kepner of The Athletic.
“I’m pretty sure we’re gonna have a decision, but that ain’t gonna do it. We need better. They know that, and we’re to a point where you gotta go out there and earn it. So that’s the bottom line.”
In Senga’s second start since returning from the injured list due to lumbar spine inflammation, he allowed 7 earned runs on 3 hits (2 home runs). He had 6 strikeouts, but location was a clear problem for him still, as he walked five Cubs hitters across just 3 2/3 innings of work.
Over his last two starts, he has surrendered 11 runs on 5 hits. In the same span, he gave up 4 home runs and walked 9 to go with 11 strikeouts through just 7 2/3 innings.
Overall in the 2026 season, Senga carries around a 0-6 record, 10.08 ERA, 1.916 WHIP and 7.48 FIP after 6 starts.
It hasn’t been much better for the Mets as a team, as they dropped to 34-44, which is 14 games off the top of the National League East standings.
