It was a very different offseason for Kodai Senga. Coming off a 2025 season that didn’t reveal who the true Senga really was, the right-hander decided he needed to take a different approach in tackling his fourth season in the MLB after coming over from Japan.
Kodai Senga ‘Connecting My Brain’ in Hope of Bounce Back
Since being named an All-Star, finishing second in the National League Rookie Of the Year voting and seventh for NL Cy Young in his 2023 rookie campaign, Senga has dealt with several injuries and physical ailments the past two years. In the second half of the 2025 season, Senga pitched so poorly that the club decided to send him down to the minors. After posting a dominant 1.39 ERA in the first-half, Senga returned in June from a right hamstring strain and pitched to an abysmal 6.56 ERA in eight starts before being sent down for the rest of the year.
Then came the offseason and so did the discussions of a trade. The inventor of the signature ghost fork pitch now had to not only reinvent himself entirely, show up healthy, and perform well, he had to deal with the constant noise from the outside. But Senga didn’t want to leave, he likes Queens, he likes playing in front of the Citi Field faithful and went as far as informing the Mets of his desire to stay rather than being dealt. Well, they listened, and now it’s time for Senga to prove to the Mets why they made the right decision.
Kodai Senga Hoping to Bounce Back
Now 33-years-old, Senga knows he isn’t the same pitcher he once was back in 2023 and that things needed to change if he wants to see improvement.
“This offseason I was rehabbing. Getting each of those body parts back to where it needs to be,” Senga said through an interpreter after making his second start of the spring. “Connecting my brain and the body parts so that I can move properly. I was able to attack those and I feel great.”
in ’25 you were able to physically take a look at Senga and tell that something wasn’t right. The right-hander usually sits in the high-90’s and has shown the ability to reach 100 mph multiple times in the past. Last season, that velocity was nowhere to be found. However, after hurling three scoreless innings while striking out five batters on Friday at Clover Park, Senga looks to have reformed that velocity.
“I think it’s great in all ways to have more variety with whatever I can do if I have that in the pockets, so it works all in my favor,” Senga said.
Since arriving to camp, the Mets have liked what they seen from Senga. They like how he’s gone about his business and believe he’s done things in the offseason that set him up and prepare him for success.
“There’s a lot to like there. That forkball was pretty nasty,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Overall, you just continue to see signs of a healthy player here.”
Where Senga Fits in the Rotation
With less than two weeks to go until Opening Day for the Mets, the rotation is starting to take shape. Freddy Peralta was announced as the club’s Opening Day starter, while the rest of the rotation projects to include rookie Nolan McLean, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea.
The Mets will likely use a six-man rotation to include Senga. Since signing a five-year, $75 million deal with the Mets, the club has used a six-man rotation to accommodate the Japanese star. Though, depending on Senga’s performance during the season, the club might go back to the traditional five-man rotation.
Main Photo Credits: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
