Mets Shut Down Ace Kodai Senga With Shoulder Strain

New York’s top starter is expected to miss Opening Day.

The New York Mets don’t officially begin their 2024 season until March 28, but with over a month until Opening Day, the team is already dealing with an injury to its top starting pitcher.

Kodai Senga, one of the team’s few bright spots in 2023, missed Wednesday’s spring training workout with what manager Carlos Mendoza called arm fatigue. After he was evaluated, team president David Stearns said Senga had a moderate right posterior strain, per SNY.

As a result, Senga will be shut down and likely begin the season on the injured list.

“We don’t expect Opening Day, but we do expect him to make a bunch of starts for us this year,” Stearns said.

Senga is not expected to need surgery to repair the injury, the team says.

The 31-year-old Japanese pitcher was an All-Star during his first MLB season in ’23, going 12–7 in 29 starts with a 2.98 ERA, striking out 202 batters in 166.1 innings.