Kodai Senga’s return from injury on Friday was supposed to help lift the New York Mets to the playoffs. Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters Saturday that Senga is unlikely to return in the regular season after suffering a high-grade left calf strain during Friday’s outing. That was Senga’s first start of the season, and quite possibly his last.
"I think it's fair to say that he's pretty much done for the regular season."
Carlos Mendoza says Kodai Senga has a "high grade" left calf strain: pic.twitter.com/Z7iOuXEnsx
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 27, 2024
“It’s a high-grade strain, so tough news, obviously. … I think it’s fair to say that he’s pretty much done for the regular season,” Mendoza said.
The Mets were certainly hoping for something more mild, but they were not so lucky here. It is perhaps not a big surprise, as Senga appeared to be in serious pain when he went down with the injury in the sixth inning.
The 31-year-old struck out nine batters in 5.1 innings against the Braves and wound up getting the victory. He had spent the entire first half of the season dealing with a shoulder injury, and the Mets thought they were getting him back at the perfect time. He was outstanding in 2023, posting a 2.98 ERA and finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
For the Mets, the only real silver lining is that they have been surging even without Senga. Their win Friday was their fifth in a row, and moved them ahead of the Braves for the top spot in the NL Wild Card race.
