Perhaps Wednesday's news that starting pitcher Kodai Senga was experiencing "arm fatigue" was indeed the perfect time to panic for New York Mets fans.
David Stearns said Kodai Senga has moderate strain in the back of his right shoulder.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) February 22, 2024
He will be shut down until the symptoms subside. He will not be ready for Opening Day. He will start on the IL but it’s not known how long he will be out.
David Stearns said that the Senga news doesn’t change anything regarding the likelihood of adding someone before opening day.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) February 22, 2024
It was reported that the 2023 All-Star didn't work out on Wednesday due to the fatigue, and a potential MRI was to be determined.
Senga took off last summer as the former Cy Young award winners Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were traded to the American League.
The 31-year-old finished 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 202 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings pitched over 29 starts. Senga was the NL Rookie of the Year runner-up and finished seventh in the senior circuit's Cy Young voting.
New York has depth in its starting rotation, but the options mostly include guys in their 30s or are otherwise past their prime and pitchers who have struggled with injuries and/or inconsistencies in recent seasons.
What the Mets' 2024 Opening Day rotation currently looks like:
— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) February 22, 2024
José Quintana
Luis Severino
Sean Manaea
Adrian Houser
Tylor Megill
David Stearns indicated Senga's replacement to start the season will likely come from the group of Tylor Megill, Jose Butto and Joey Lucchesi.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) February 22, 2024
35-year-old Jose Quintana made his lone All-Star team in 2016 with the Chicago White Sox and has since bounced around the league. Since 2017, the southpaw has taken the mound for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Mets.
He didn't make his debut last season until July due to injury and went 3-6 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.30 WHIP across 75 2/3 innings covering 13 starts.
Luis Severino turned 30 earlier this week and since making back-to-back All-Star teams in 2017 and 2018, his career has gone down the drain.
He was limited to three starts in 2019 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in February 2020, keeping him out of action until late in the 2021 campaign. Severino suffered multiple setbacks with other injuries during his rehab and eventually was activated off the IL in September 2021 for four appearances.
The longtime member of the crosstown-rival New York Yankees made 19 starts in 2022 before his disastrous 2023. Severino finished last season 4-8 with career worsts in ERA (6.65) and WHIP (1.64), while posting just a 79 to 34 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
He signed a one-year, $13M deal with the Mets in early December.
If it's any consolation for the baseball followers in Queens, Mets president David Stearns said that he doesn't believe Senga will need surgery to address his injury.
Here’s some of what David Stearns said this morning about Kodai Senga:
— Danny Abriano (@DannyAbriano) February 22, 2024
“We don’t expect Opening Day, but I do expect him to make a bunch of starts for us this year. This is not a surgical-type problem.”
Stearns hinted the Mets wouldn’t turn to free agency but didn’t rule it out
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