All-Star ace injury update gives Mets fans a gut punch in first week of spring training

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.

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.