The New York Mets rotation just got a little shorter with the news that Kodai Senga has been placed on the IL.
The New York Mets finally broke out offensively last night, but the Mets got some bad news on the injury front that limited some of the relief that came with their 8-0 win over the Washington Nationals.
One was to starter Kodai Senga, who’s had three bad starts in a row, so the Mets started seeking physical answers to his poor performance. That led to a diagnosis of “lumbar spine inflammation,” according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, which landed Senga on the 15-day IL. Anyone who’s ever had a bad back will doubtless recognize this terminology.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said Senga began complaining about the issues after his last start, when he allowed three runs in just 3-2/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies. Senga’s poor performance dates back to his last three starts in which he’s had an ERA of 17.28.
The MRI revealed inflammation between the L4 and L5 vertebrae in his lower back, which is also causing right hip discomfort. That prompted the move to the IL, and Senga will stop throwing for 7-10 days, at which point the Mets will reassess his situation.
“We didn’t know what we were dealing with until we got the MRI,” Mendoza said.
The diagnosis complicates a situation that’s already difficult. Senga is fussy about his mechanics and he’s fragile, so keeping him on the mound is an exercise in what DiComo called “fits and starts.” The right-hander started his season with a couple of solid starts, but now he’s going backwards again, which mirrors what happened with Senga last year.
“I know what’s going on,” Senga said. “I know why I’m not able to perform. I just need to … get back to a high-performing pitcher.”
Senga is in the fourth year of a five-year deal that pays him $75 million, so he’s getting closer to the point where the Mets can simply punt on him and consider the remaining money a sunk cost.
Senga was the subject of numerous trade rumors in the weeks after last season ended, but GM David Stearns elected not to pull the trigger and take another run at getting a good year out of his problematic starter.
Meanwhile, the Mets will plug in Christian Scott for another start in Anaheim when the Mets meet the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. Scott failed to make it through the second inning in his first start of the season, but the Mets will be hoping for better results against the Angels.