Kodai Senga's Season Cut Short by Calf Strain

New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga's season is over before it truly began. The team's projected No. 1 starter suffered a high-grade left calf strain in his 2024 debut against Atlanta on Friday night, sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season.

Senga's injury occurred when he attempted to field a popup, forcing him to leave the game in the sixth inning. An MRI confirmed the severity of the strain, leaving the Mets with a significant void in their starting rotation.

"I think it's fair to say that he's pretty much done for the regular season," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "It's hard to put a timetable here, especially when we're talking about a calf. Those are tricky. We could be looking at eight, 10 weeks before he's a big league pitcher."

The news is a major blow to both Senga and the Mets. Senga, who signed a $75 million contract with the Mets last year, had been sidelined by a shoulder injury since early spring training. He finally made his debut on Friday, only to see his season abruptly end.

"It's a huge blow," Mendoza said. "But at the same time like you say, we got to this point without him. It sucks for him, for all of us. The way I see it is, we've been through a lot, and if we get to see him pitch again this year that means we're in a good spot. So, hopefully that's the case."

Despite the setback, the Mets remain optimistic about their chances. They have acquired veteran relievers Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek to bolster their bullpen, and they believe their remaining starting pitchers can step up in Senga's absence.

"We still feel good with our options," Mendoza said. "Guys will step up. We've got five legit starters here that, they put us in this position where we're in right now – and Megill's been a big part of that. He's getting an opportunity now, people are going to get opportunities, and we also like what we have down in Triple-A. So guys will step up, guys will get opportunities, and we'll be fine.