Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets are in an interesting spot.

New York has a better roster on paper for the 2024 campaign than it had in 2023. The Mets should be able to compete for a postseason spot, but the club currently is without the services of their top pitcher.

Ace Kodai Senga is out right now due to injury but should be back soon. The one-time All-Star still is out but will return to throwing in the next week or so, according to Newsday Sports' Tim Healey.

"Kodai Senga won’t throw for another 7-10 days, David Stearns said," Healey said. "Then they’ll get another around imaging and decide the next step. Senga’s three-week shutdown has reached three weeks, but the Mets’ 'internal pacing' calls for a longer wait, he said."

The 31-year-old made his big league debut with the Mets in 2023 and certainly was impressive. He had a 2.98 ERA and 202-to-77 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 166 1/3 innings pitched. 

Senga is New York's top starter and he will play a major role in the team's success in 2024. The Mets made some intriguing additions to the rotation this offseason, but Senga's health will be a necessity if the club wants to compete for a postseason spot.

He already has missed some time, but it's good to hear that he should begin throwing soon. He likely will miss Opening Day as he builds up, but it sounds like he won't end up missing too much time this season unless things change.

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