Mets Ace Kodai Senga Finally Set to Take Big Step in Return to New York

June has been very kind to the New York Mets.

After looking like surefire sellers a month ago, the Mets are now 37-39, just 1.5 games back of the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League.

The Mets are 13-4 in their last 17 games, and have catapulted up the standings in the Wild Card race. They’ve been doing all of this without one of their best players.

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Right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga was diagnosed with a right shoulder capsule strain during spring training. Senga opened the season on the 15-day injured list, and shortly thereafter was transferred to the 60-day injured list. He’s yet to pitch at any level this season, and earlier this year, there were concerns whether he’d return in 2024 at all.

However, Senga is finally set to take a huge step towards a major league mound.

On Tuesday, Senga spoke to reporters, and said he has one more live batting practice session on Thursday. If he comes out of that feeling good, he intends to begin a minor league rehab assignment next week. “I feel really good mechanically and physically,” Senga said through an interpreter on Tuesday.

This is a massive development for Senga, who finally could be nearing a return to action. Rehab assignments are the final step in a long progression, and would put him on track to return potentially by the end of next month.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players’ Association caps minor league rehab assignments for pitchers at 30 days.

It’s not yet known how many rehab starts Senga would need to make to be built up for a second-half return, but either way, he would be on track to return well before the end of the season.

The Mets’ rotation has struggled mightily this year without its ace. Entering Tuesday’s series opener against the New York Yankees, the Mets have a 4.47 rotation ERA, which ranks 24th in Major League Baseball. Even during the team’s recent hot streak of 13 wins in their last 17 games, Mets starters have a combined ERA of 4.40, which is 21st in MLB.

The addition of Senga will go a long way to solving some of those issues, and should continue to move the Mets up the Wild Card standings.

Senga had a dominant first year in MLB last season after coming over from Japan. The now 31-year-old went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts last season. He was named an All-Star, finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, and was a top-10 finisher in NL Cy Young voting.