PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The Mets and Kodai Senga have struck a compromise.
Senga wanted to see some Grapefruit League action already.
The Mets have been hesitant with a pitcher who battled injuries all of last season, beginning with a spring capsule strain in his shoulder, and have limited him thus far to bullpen sessions and live batting practices.
So both sides will get part of what they want in what will be a unique next step for Senga.
On Monday night, the right-hander will take the mound for one inning of a game and then go to a back field, where he will throw two innings of a live session.
The hybrid plan will entail three total “innings” of work as the club attempts to stretch out Senga’s arm as incrementally as possible.
The adrenaline rush that might come in actual action will only be felt for one inning, and that inning will be the only one the Mets cannot control.
“This is a way that gets Senga going,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said. “We don’t want him to go out and feel like he’s got to throw whatever amount of pitches to get three innings or whatever. We want him to throw one inning and see what that feels like, and then we go in the back field.”
Hefner pointed out that the Mets asked pitchers to follow a similar plan in 2020, when the pitchers threw an inning in a spring game before getting tested with motion-capture technology on a back field.
But still, this plan is not exactly typical.
It is a reflection of how careful the Mets are handling a pitcher with star potential who struggled to get past his shoulder injury last year then strained his calf upon returning.
The Mets say Senga’s one inning of work against the Marlins in Port St. Lucie is also a reflection that the potential ace is eager to actually face opponents.
“He wants to be in the game,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before the 10-1 win over the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park. “That’s a really good sign.”
Mendoza said he, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and Senga “settled” on the idea that will allow Senga to get a taste of in-game action and then will let the Mets control the rest of his workload.
Senga most recently threw a three-inning live batting practice Wednesday. He enters this season as a wild card who was brilliant in 2023, when he received Cy Young votes, and mostly out of action last season.
With Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas sidelined, Senga’s importance has grown.
The Mets believe they have avoided trouble with Luisangel Acuña.
The club was given a scare in the second inning when the young infielder was drilled in the left elbow by a Shane McClanahan fastball.
Acuña was in obvious pain, checked by a trainer and remained in the game briefly — actually stealing second base — before he was lifted in the bottom of the inning.
But Acuña “should be fine,” Mendoza said, and at least Saturday did not require X-rays.
Alexander Canario, an intriguing outfield prospect whom the Mets traded for this week, made his club debut and went 1-for-2 with a walk and strikeout.
The toolsy outfielder also made a baserunning error.
With the bases loaded and no out, a shallow fly ball to center field resulted in Brett Baty declining to attempt to tag up from third base.
Canario, at second base, believed Baty would tag and so he took a few steps from second base to third base and was cut down when the throw from the outfield was cut off.
Canario, who hit 37 minor league home runs in his 2022 minor league season, has appeared in 21 major league games with the Cubs.
“I can hit, I can play defense, I can run,” Canario said through interpreter Alan Suriel. “In any single way that I can help this team win games. … I’m just really grateful for the opportunity that I have right now.”
Credit: Source link
