Senga “Not Worried At All” About Shoulder

With players—primarily pitchers and catchers—reporting to Port St. Lucie this week, we’re starting to get updates from players we haven’t heard from all winter. Leaving the 2024 season, as magical as it was, there was a glaring disappointment in Kodai Senga as he suffered a shoulder injury in camp, then once he finally ramped up to pitch after the All-Star break, he injured his calf chasing a ball off the mound in his first start back.

That put the Mets in a precarious position this offseason, needing to sign a top-line starter while also building in depth behind Senga and other players who’ve been injured recently—David Peterson and Paul Blackburn among them.

Senga, though, reports that he is “not worried at all” about his shoulder and that he’s feeling “really good.” Through an interpreter, he said, “I just need to ramp up slowly and through spring training healthy,” then he can focus on getting through the year healthy. That’s what will make him happiest, he said.

When Senga transitioned to play in the United States, the Mets were careful about how often they pitched him. In Japan, Senga was used to throwing once a week rather than every five days. Still, he reached 166 2/3 innings in his debut season, notching a 2.98 ERA, a second place Rookie of the Year finish and seventh place Cy Young finish.

Now, the Mets will need to operate with similar caution.

Senga on Sasaki

The 32-year-old was asked about fellow countryman Roki Sasaki, who signed with the Dodgers. He said he didn’t talk to Sasaki during negotations (they have the same agent), and he believes the weather in Los Angeles certainly plays a part in Japanese players consistently signing with West Coast teams.

“We need to build a roof,” he joked.

The post Senga “Not Worried At All” About Shoulder appeared first on Metsmerized Online.