QUEENS, NY — New York Mets ace Kodai Senga was scheduled to have a catch off the mound at what he described as a “decent intensity” on Monday afternoon at Citi Field as he continues to rehab from a Grade 1 hamstring strain suffered on June 12 against the Washington Nationals.
If things continue progressing at this rate, the 32-year-old right-hander said that a rehab assignment could be “on the horizon.”
“I feel great,” Senga said. “I’m recovering really well.”
Senga was initially prescribed a timetable of at least a month before he could return, but he has been able to keep his arm active despite the injury, which could help speed things up.
“The fact that he’s already getting on the mound and letting the ball go with some time of intensity, that’s a really good sign,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’ll see what the next step will be, but it’s not even two weeks now, and he’s already getting on the mound and playing catch with intensity. That’s good.”
When asked when he could see himself returning to the mound in the big leagues, Senga jokingly said, “Please ask my leg.”
“I think on both ends, my end and the team’s end, day by day, daily conversations are very important,” Senga said. “I know everybody wants to know, ‘Hey, when are you going to get off the mound? When are you going to throw a bullpen? When are you going to throw in a game?’ That’s in the future. I want to take it day by day. Maybe some days I can push it a little bit further, while some days I need to take a step back and take it easy. Those are the types of conversations I’m having every day, and those are very helpful.”
This is the second straight season that Senga is missing a considerable stretch of time, which he admitted was a “bummer.” He was limited to just 5.1 regular-season innings in 2024 due to shoulder and calf injuries.
Such a significant absence led to issues with his mechanics when he did return for New York’s postseason run, but that does not appear to be an issue this time around, for now.
“I’m not concerned at all,” Senga said. “I feel great, but obviously, as things continue to progress, I start to throw harder, mechanics become more and more important. So I need to continue to be careful, continue to take it day by day, and continue to work hard. “
