The Reasons for Kodai Senga’s Post-Injury Struggles

Kodai Senga Struggling Since Return from Injury

Senga was cruising as the Mets entered June, holding a 1.47 ERA, one of the best marks in the league at the time. To highlight just how strong he was, that ERA ranks as the fifth-best by any Mets pitcher through their first 12 starts of a season. Everything pointed toward a second All-Star appearance, maybe even a place in the Cy Young conversation. But then came June 12.

It was a typical Senga outing, minimal baserunners, pure dominance. But with two outs in the sixth inning, Senga sprinted over to cover first on a CJ Abrams ground ball to Pete Alonso. Alonso’s toss sailed high, forcing Senga to jump. Instantly, he crumbled to the ground. That moment triggered what would become a month-long injured list stint — and the start of a very different chapter.

Coincidentally (or maybe not), after losing Senga, the Mets went on a brutal 8-18 skid before his eventual return against the Kansas City Royals. The first red flag actually came during his rehab outing on July 6, when he went 3 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and three runs with four strikeouts and two walks. At the time, you could chalk it up to rust. Now, looking back, it may have been a warning sign.

Senga’s Return to MLB

On July 11, Senga returned to face the Royals — a game where he tossed four scoreless innings. A solid line on paper… if you didn’t watch the game. Senga dealt with traffic in all but one inning, constantly working with runners on base and pitching himself into high-leverage spots. He escaped, but not without a high pitch count. That pattern has continued over his last few starts.

Over his last three outings, Senga hasn’t looked like himself. He’s struggled to finish off batters, fallen behind in counts, and allowed runners to reach in multiple ways. In all three starts, he’s given up at least four hits and four runs, while also walking three or more. Even before this stretch, Senga had trouble pitching deep into games, going beyond six innings in just two starts all season.

“He’s having a hard time filling the zone right now,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after Senga’s recent outing against the Giants.
“A lot of three-ball counts, walks, hit-by-pitch — he got behind in counts, and when he came into the zone, they were able to make him pay.”

The Struggle

While Senga insists his hamstring is fully healthy, he’s admitted that he might be overcompensating mechanically, which could explain some of the inconsistency. His ERA, which sat at 1.47 before the injury, is now up to 2.31 — nearly a full run higher. More alarming? His WHIP since returning is a bloated 2.000 — a number firmly in the “poor” category.

One of the main issues is an overreliance on the forkball. Senga has leaned on it more heavily and, in doing so, has lost command of his other pitches. In his most recent start, he fell behind in 12 of the 23 batters he faced, often trying to get hitters to chase instead of attacking the zone. That’s the opposite of what made him dominant.

This recent stretch has raised eyebrows among Mets fans, some questioning whether Senga is truly the rotation’s long-term ace. What helps him? The fact that no one else in the rotation has really stepped up. David Peterson has been the most consistent starter. Christian Scott has had moments. But beyond them, it’s been shaky, and the Mets desperately need Senga to be “that guy.”

Final Thoughts

This rough stretch could end up being just that — a cold spell that eventually passes, like it does for most major league pitchers.

Either way, Mendoza and the team aren’t panicking — yet.

“He wants to be better; he’s a competitor,” Mendoza said. “We understand where he’s at. This is outing number four after he got hurt, so we know it’s a process, and it’s going to take longer for some guys coming back.

“I’m not worried about it, we’re not worried — but I’m pretty sure he’s frustrated because he wants to go deep into games and he wants to perform — and he will. So I’m not worried about it.”

For the first time in his MLB career, Kodai Senga is consistently struggling and has his back against the wall. It’s on him now to figure it out — and rediscover the rhythm that once made him untouchable.