When was the last time Kodai Senga pitched in an MLB game? Mets announce ace pitcher as starter vs Phillies

The New York Mets have received a major fitness boost heading into the postseason as Kodai Senga makes a shock return to the starting line-up against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Japanese pitcher has suffered a string of injuries in 2024, beginning with a shoulder injury picked up at the start of spring training. On Saturday Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Senga would be starting in Game 1.

“We always had hopes, but it’s been the whole year,” Mendoza explained. “What made us feel comfortable with this decision was that he was the one wanting the baseball.”

Senga’s most recent MLB appearance came back in July when he suffered a calf injury in the sixth innings of an 8-4 victory over the Braves. At the time the Mets issued a statement suggesting that they were hoping to get him back for the postseason, but the speed of his recovery has come as a surprise to may fans.

Mendoza had made clear that the injury was a serious one: “Hard to put a timetable here, but I think it’s fair to say that he’s pretty much done for the regular season.”

Senga, now 30, spent a decade in the Nippon Professional League in his native Japan. He made the switch to MLB in 2023 and signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the New York Mets. He finished second in the voting for National League Rookie of the Year in 2023 but has seen his 2024 campaign disrupted by injury. Now, he prepares for his first taste of the MLB playoffs.

“If anybody knows himself better than anybody, it’s Kodai Senga,” Mendoza said, reflecting on the pitcher’s swift return to the team. “We’ve been through it the whole year with him. The times that he goes out there and faces hitters or throws a lot of bullpens and is not feeling right, he’s always letting us know that. And that wasn’t the case in this situation.”