Mets already dealing with injury issue to key player

Mar 26, 2022; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; The New York Mets logo stands in center field before the game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets’ season is already off to a bad start in the injury department.

Mets president David Stearns said Thursday that starter Kodai Senga, who had been dealing with unspecified shoulder soreness, has been diagnosed with a strained shoulder capsule. The Mets did not have an exact timeline for Senga, but the expectation is that he will not be ready for Opening Day.

The Mets plan to shut down Senga until his symptoms subside. They do not expect him to be ready for Opening Day, but an exact timeline is not currently clear.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) February 22, 2024

Senga almost certainly profiles as the Mets’ No. 1 starter at this point, so this is a significant blow. The 31-year-old made his MLB debut last season and did not disappoint, going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 166.1 innings.

After their expensive failure in 2023, the Mets have trimmed their roster ahead of the 2024 season, and their roster is not quite as star-heavy as it has been in years past. Expectations were reduced accordingly, and Senga being unavailable to start the season will probably temper them even further.

The Mets were still major players for one sought-after pitcher earlier in the offseason. There is no suggestion yet that they will go back into the market now that Senga is out.