Kodai Senga hits 96 mph as spring debut takes surprising Mets turn

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets from spring training PORT ST.LUCIE — At long last, the ghost has reappeared. Kodai Senga was back on the mound for a game Monday, having talked his way into Grapefruit League action for a Mets team that would have preferred more bullpen sessions and live batting practices. After a bizarre 2024 season, Senga’s 2025 has begun with a small dash of confusion and two strong, scoreless innings against the Marlins at Clover Park. The stated plan for Senga earlier in the day entailed throwing a single inning before building up his pitch count on a bullpen mound.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said Senga could do a second inning of work if his first inning was particularly efficient. Senga ended up throwing 15 pitches in a scoreless first and then returned for the second, a surprise that further demonstrated the pitcher wants to compete. “He was pretty open about [wanting to pitch in games],” Mendoza said before the game.“We were pretty much the one that [suggested] we’ll finish in the back fields or just in the bullpen.” In his first action of the spring, Senga looked sharp. Of his 31 pitches, 20 were strikes.

He touched 96 mph with his four-seam fastball.He used just one ghost forkball — against which Derek Hill singled — but he may have been saving his most devastating offering, a tactic he employed in 2023 spring training. He allowed just two base runners and struck out two while inducing five swings and misses.

He had to scramble to cover first base on what became an infield single and did so without incident. “Just very pleased that I’m able to get out of it healthy,” Senga said through interpreter Hiro Fujiwara.“There were a lot of things that I wanted to try out that I was able to.

Just great to be out there.” He worked on a tweaked slider that induced a violent whiff on a strikeout from Otto Lop...