Why Mets’ Kodai Senga Made This Request In Loss To Red Sox

The Red Sox dealt Kodai Senga a rough night, but the Mets ace still fought and gave New York all he could.

Boston earned a series-opening win Monday night at Fenway Park. Senga struggled with his command, walking three Red Sox batters, and gave up three runs on five hits. The 2023 All-Star admitted that the wind and environment played a factor, but he convinced manager Carlos Mendoza to keep him in for the sixth inning.

“I felt good at that point,” Senga told reporters via interpreter, per SNY. “I felt pretty confident with the feel that I had. I felt like I could go back out there. I think I was at around 90 pitches, and I wanted to get as many outs as possible for the team. I haven’t been able to contribute in the innings side as much. I was able to get those three outs, and it was good.”

Senga grinded through the inning, and his 100th pitch of the night struck out Ceddanne Rafaela. It’s still been a great season for Senga, as he still led the National League with a 1.43 ERA after Monday.

The Red Sox offense did enough, and the bullpen stepped up to strike first in the series. However, Boston should expect a response from a talented Mets team Tuesday night.