Kodai Senga became the last starter standing in April. The Mets prematurely need him to be both good and a workhorse, but he’s not ready for that.
In the best-laid plans, a veteran cast of MLB starters were going to serve as protection for Kodai Senga early this season. Buy him time to familiarize himself with a different baseball and a better crop of hitters and often pitching on the fifth day rather than once a week like in Japan.
But in a game of Rotation Survivor, Senga became the last starter standing in April. The Mets prematurely need him to be both good and a workhorse. And he is not yet ready for that dual responsibility.. By designation, he “lost” the game. But that was more about a Mets defense that came in with the second-fewest errors in the majors and committed three more.
Those were the major culprits as the Mets lost a fourth straight game for the first time in Buck Showalter’s year-plus as manager. Senga battled enough to hold the Nationals to two runs in five innings, inducing two key double plays out of Washington catcher Keibert Ruiz and producing six of his seven strikeouts with men on base — five of the punchouts with runners in scoring position.
But it was only five innings as he walked four, worked long counts and endured a lot of wearying on-base traffic. And the Mets hunger for more from a currently broken rotation. Showalter said he is determined not to overtax his pen. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, though, admitted concern about doing just that without getting length from his starters.The lack of length is understandable. Jose Quintana and Justin Verlander have yet to pitch this year.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mets suffer fourth consecutive defeat with ugly loss to NationalsOn a night Kodai Senga again relied heavily on his ghost forkballs, it was the Mets’ offense that was disappearing.
Read more »
TooFab's Week In Celebrity Photos: April 23 - April 29Saint West rocked a Tristan Thompson jersey to last night's Lakers game -- where Kris Jenner also showed Tristan some love (via toofab)
Read more »
TooFab's Week In Celebrity Photos: April 23 - April 29Kim Kardashian steps out to the TIME 100 Summit in see-through pants (via toofab)
Read more »
Mets’ Francisco Alvarez turning corner at plate after sluggish startFrancisco Alvarez was expected to be at Triple-A Syracuse at this point in the season, not with the Mets.
Read more »
Mets’ Pete Alonso, Tomas Nido and Luis Guillorme raise drink to Rangers at GardenIt wasn’t quite like the Jets and their beer-chugging tradition at the Islanders’ playoff game, but at least three Mets attended the Rangers’ Game 4.
Read more »
‘Amazin’ But True’ Podcast Episode 139: Nelson Figueroa Announces New TV Job With PIX11The former Mets pitcher is returning to television.
Read more »