Mets make big Kodai Senga decision after rocky outing vs. Reds

For the first time since April 26, starting pitcher Kodai Senga took the bump for the New York Mets in an MLB game when he got the start for Tuesday night's contest at the Cincinnati Reds.

Senga then surrendered a pair of home runs and four total earned runs in the first inning of what became a 5-3 loss that dropped the Mets to 32-41 on the season. Following the defeat, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked if Senga will make his next scheduled start.

Mets "pretty sure" about this Kodai Senga decision

"Pretty sure he will," Mendoza said, per Robert Sanchez of SNY. 

Senga walked the first two batters he faced before Cincinnati's Sal Stewart hit a three-run home run. Later in the frame, Spencer Steer added a solo homer.

"Obviously, the first three batters of the game, not ideal," Mendoza acknowledged about Senga's performance. "Not what you want to see right away…I thought he found that sweeper, the slider, but they got him there early on." 

Mendoza and Co. have been left scrambling to fill gaps in the rotation. Clay Holmes reportedly won't return from his broken leg before late August, at the earliest, and Christian Scott was recently placed on the injured list with a right hip impingement. 

As for Senga, he may find himself pitching to salvage his Mets tenure this summer. On Tuesday, he fell to 0-5 on the big-league season, and his ERA remained at 9.00.

Why Tuesday wasn't all bad news for Kodai Senga, Mets

Sanchez noted that Senga allowed no hits and two walks over his final three innings of work. In total, Senga recorded five strikeouts in the defeat. 

While speaking through an interpreter after the game, Senga admitted that "the first inning is frustrating" because "those last three innings were effective." 

"As long as I’m able to prepare the way I should prepare between outings," Senga added, "I should be able to go out there and be effective, and that’s the goal." 

The Mets will look to avoid a series sweep when they play at the 35-37 Reds again on Wednesday afternoon.