The New York Mets rotation has struggled this season, pitching to a 4.26 ERA, which is 10th in the National League, but reinforcements are on their way.
Kodai Senga is nearing his return to the mound
2023 all-star Kodai Senga completed his second rehab start on Tuesday evening. The 31-year-old pitched 2.2 scoreless innings on 52 pitches (30 of which were strikes) and struck out three for Triple-A Syracuse while hitting 98 MPH on the radar gun.
The Japanese native threw 166.1 innings across 29 starts in his debut season for the Mets, posting a 2.98 ERA, 1.220 WHIP, and 202 strikeouts. However, he has been out of action since February, suffering a shoulder strain and having undergone numerous setbacks.
Now, with Senga getting set to return, the blue and orange have a decision to make when it comes to their rotation, and president of baseball operations David Stearns is leaning toward expanding it.
- Mets gain important ground in Wild Card race without even taking the field
- Mets ace is focused on leading a powerful playoff surge: ‘We have to win every game’
- Mets star pitcher could potentially return in convenient role
David Stearns says the Mets could move to a six-man rotation
After the acquisition of Phil Maton on Tuesday, Stearns spoke with the media and gave an update about how the rotation could change once Senga returns.
“I think once Senga is back, our default stance would be a six-man (rotation). We may deviate from that occasionally, but once Senga is back, I think our default will be a six-man,” Stearns said.
David Stearns Hints at Change in Rotation Strategy After Mets’ Ace Returns (msn.com)
That situation is still quite a bit of time away, with the 31-year-old likely to require another rehab outing, whether that be another minor league start or an intense bullpen session. Plus, the all-star break is right around the corner, delaying things even further.
Time will tell what ends up happening once Senga is ready to return to the major leagues, but for now, it appears the Mets starters will be on the bump every six days instead of every five.
