Just when the New York Mets were beginning to build momentum, the team has been hit with a troubling blow.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed today that star pitcher Kodai Senga, the club’s $88 million newcomer from Japan, is facing a setback in his recovery from a shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined for much of the 2025 season.
Speaking during pregame media availability, Mendoza called the update “disappointing” and expressed concern over the pace of Senga’s rehab.
“He’s had some lingering discomfort, and right now we’re going to slow things down,” Mendoza said. “The priority is making sure he’s right — not just for this year, but for the long term. It’s frustrating, no doubt, but we’re not going to take unnecessary risks.”
Senga, who signed a five-year, $88 million deal with the Mets before the 2023 season, was expected to be the ace of the rotation this year following a breakout debut season. In 2023, he posted a stellar 2.98 ERA with 202 strikeouts over 166.1 innings and finished runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year honors.
But the 2025 campaign has been anything but smooth.
Senga began the season on the injured list with a shoulder capsule strain and has suffered multiple delays in his throwing progression. Today’s news marks yet another bump in the road — and casts further doubt on whether Mets fans will see him take the mound at all this season.
“We were hoping to have him back before the All-Star break,” said a team source. “But that timeline is now in serious jeopardy.”
The Mets, who have been battling to stay afloat in the NL East, are already thin in their starting rotation. The prolonged absence of their ace now threatens to derail any hopes of a second-half surge, unless the front office makes a move ahead of the trade deadline.
Fans, who had high hopes for a bounce-back year under Mendoza’s leadership, expressed disappointment across social media — not just in the injury, but in what feels like a growing list of setbacks for a team with playoff aspirations.
Still, Mendoza remained hopeful that Senga will return this year — but cautioned that there is no firm timetable.
“We’re going to keep working with him, day by day,” Mendoza said. “He wants to be out there more than anyone. We just have to stay patient.”
For now, patience may be the only option — but for a team and fanbase hungry for results, this latest update on their $88 million star is a gut punch.
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