Mets’ $47 Million Gamble: Experts Urge Drastic Change, Questioning the All-Star’s Role and Sparking Speculation of a Potential Trade or Major Roster Shake-Up
Juan Soto’s arrival and Pete Alonso’s new contract make it easy for New York Mets fans to forget about Kodai Senga’s impending return.
Senga, a 2023 All-Star and NL Rookie of the Year finalist, missed most of last season with shoulder and calf injuries. Although the 32-year-old returned in the playoffs, he allowed seven runs and walked seven over five innings.
The good news: Senga is healthy, and he entered play Thursday with a 3.38 ERA across 5.1 spring innings. Although he’s already allowed nine hits, Mets fans should at least enter the year feeling somewhat optimistic.
Of course, any Mets fan knows all too well how quickly injuries can derail a season. If the Mets themselves are concerned about keeping Senga healthy, at least one baseball mind has an idea worth considering.
“Let him pitch once a week,” an unnamed scout told The Athletic.
“You’ll get more out of him,” the scout added. “He’s electric when he’s right.”
The Athletic spoke with various scouts, executives, and analysts to rank baseball’s top 50 starting pitchers. Senga and Houston Astros righty Hunter Brown tied for 42nd.
The scout’s idea makes sense, at least on paper. In Japan, starting pitchers typically pitch only once per week.
Conversely, depending on the schedule, some MLB starters toe the mound twice in a given week.
The Mets have not publicly hinted at either switching to a six-man rotation or changing Senga’s schedule so that he pitches only once per week. It’d certainly be a drastic change, though one possibly worth trying for a team with World Series aspirations.
However, the Mets must also consider the potential consequences of adjusting Senga’s schedule midseason. Perhaps the safer play is keeping him on a regular workload and hoping a healthy Senga returns to form.
