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Mets' Kodai Senga Offers Promising Season Debut
Aug 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets' Kodai Senga Offers Promising Season Debut

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Ezra Lombardi  |  Last updated Apr 1, 2026 10:00 AM ET

To say that the 2025 season was a disappointment for Kodai Senga would be an understatement.

Early on it looked like he had a grown into a bonafide ace, posting a 1.26 ERA in April to lead the way for a New York Mets rotation that held the best ERA in baseball. But much like the Mets season, Senga scuffled to end the summer and found himself out of the rotation and optioned to the minor leagues to address the performance issues that popped up following his June 12th hamstring injury.

The 33-year-old right-hander enters the 2026 season with many of the same concerns: health, consistency, and ability to handle a full workload over the course of the year. One outing won't answer these questions, but Senga's season debut was a strong and promising reminder of the kind of pitcher he can be when it is all going for him.

Kodai Senga Impresses in Loss to Cardinals

Senga was outstanding in his first start against the St. Louis Cardinals, going six complete innings and allowing just two earned runs and four hits while striking out nine on 92 pitches. The Mets failed to provide run support and ultimately lost 3-0, but Senga's strong outing kept them in it until the very end and drew praise from his manager.

"He was really good today,” Carlos Mendoza said after the game. “From the very first pitch, you saw the velo, and for him to be able to maintain the velocity throughout the outing. Up to 90 pitches and you [still] saw 97 [mph]."

The veteran showcased his full arsenal, cranking his fastball velocity up to 99.2 mph and generating 17 total whiffs. According to Mike Mayer of Metsmerized, he has already topped his max velocity from 2025 of 98.3 mph and matched his season-high on whiffs of 17, which he had done just twice last year.

Mendoza broke down Senga's devastating pitch mix and what makes it so effective when they are all working off of each other.

“Hitters gotta get ready for that type of velocity, and then on top of that, you got so much movement from some of the other pitches, whether it’s the forkball, the cutter, the slider, he’s got so much that can keep hitters off-balance,” he said. “The velo, that’s a plus there.”

Senga, who has been very open and honest about his struggles, was also pleased with his performance.

"The last time I was out on the mound and in the dugout, I had to be thinking about my body and making sure it’s gonna do what I need it to do," Senga said through a translator. "But on the flip side, today, I didn’t have to worry about any of that. I can face the hitters, and it really felt like I’m a starting pitcher again."

Reflecting on his performance, the fourth-year Met is already looking forward for how he can build on the impressive debut to continue to help his club.

“Being out there, and I can start to deduce, ‘What is this hitter thinking? What are they looking for? What’s something that they’re not looking for?’” he said. “Being out there and able to do that, it’s a good feeling. I’m excited.”

Of course, one performance doesn't guarantee that Senga has turned a corner, and the main goal for him will be remaining healthy and keeping his stuff where it was on Tuesday night. But after one turn through the rotation, New York could be looking at a stellar five-man rotation with a refreshed Kodai Senga as a key reason why.

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This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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