By Alfredo Echenique Lugo
Apr 30, 2024, 1:40 PM EDT
When the New York Mets began the 2024 Major League season, they did so with a significant loss. That of their rotation ace Kodai Senga, who suffered a strain in the posterior capsule of his right shoulder during Spring Training.
During this first month of the season the Mets, led by Carlos Mendoza, have had to make moves in their rotation to make up for the loss of the talented Japanese pitcher and for the moment the metropolitan pitching has not been hit as hard.
But the Mets’ last training session in New York left good feelings. Well, Senga already trains with apparent normality and even faced hitters in a simulated game, which gives rise to the ace’s early incorporation into the rotation.
The Japanese right-hander threw a total of 21 pitches against Minor League hitters in Brooklyn. And according to Senga himself, he classified the training as “poisonous” in statements to MLB.com.
In addition, the 30-year-old pitcher had a pitch average of 90 MPH in his entire repertoire. Which leaves good feelings about his arm speed and that he could arrive in good shape very soon in the Mets lineup.
Return date for Kodai Senga
After training last Monday, Kodai Senga was asked about his release date with the Mets. And although he was not very clear with the answer, he let it be known that he could be pitching with the team on a date close to the scheduled date to come off the injured list. Which would be next May 27.
On the other hand, the Mets’ own operations manager, David Stearns, was even more cautious with the response regarding Senga’s return date. “It would be difficult to say exactly if his return will be in the last week of May at the beginning of June,” the manager explained.
For now Senga will continue with his training and will have two more sessions scheduled to face hitters. If all goes well, he will begin a rehab assignment in the minors on May 11. The right-hander will have at least five days’ rest between each of his outings, so the possibility of him returning around May 27 will depend on whether he makes two or three starts in the minors.
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