“He’s on a mission,” that’s what Carlos Mendoza had said with enthusiasm for their Japanese ace when he posted an ERA of 1.47 in his first 13 outings. However, June arrived, and everything changed. Now, that same voice isn’t sure about his comeback in the majors. With the season’s final days ticking away, the latest update carries the weight of another crushing blow.

That arm is Kodai Senga, a right-handed pitcher for the Mets who signed a five-year, $75M deal. He started 2025 with a strong run, but a hamstring injury on June 12, which put him on the 15-day IL, stopped his momentum. His performance dropped off after the injury; in nine outings, he had a high ERA of 5.90. Senga’s struggles prompted the team to send him to Triple-A Syracuse on September 5, hoping he would improve and return for the remaining games.

Before the game against the Cubs, when asked about his progress, Carlos Mendoza gave a grim review of Senga’s Live BP on Tuesday by saying, “Just Ok.” He continued,  “It’s just live BP.” “But he didn’t feel like the velo was there, and that’s what we saw. So he’s going to continue to throw, he’s staying down there, he’s gonna continue to keep throwing there.” The stats back what the skipper said. Senga’s fastball was just 93 mph, which was a drop from his season average of 94.7 mph, which had already dropped from his 95.7 mph mark in 2023.

And when asked about the reason behind the drop, whether it’s mechanical problems or injury. Mendoza said, “Physically, he feels fine, he feels he’s healthy.” “But it’s just not clicking, especially with the way the ball is coming out.” He also mentioned that the temperature could have been one of the factors, “That was part of the report that we got from the pitching coaches, that the weather there kinda got to him a little bit, and he got tired. Maybe you credit some of that, too.” 

Now, the question is, will he play any of the remaining regular games?  Mendoza stated, “We still gotta wait and see, he’s still gonna wait in Florida after the live BP yesterday, and then we’ll see what we got.”

Senga’s outing in the minors was a mixed bag. In his first game, he struck out eight batters and gave up only one run in six innings, showing signs of his old dominance. However, in his second game, it was the opposite, as he gave up four runs on six hits and lasted only 3.2 innings. These two performances somewhat suggest that inconsistencies persist.

Now that the 32-year-old comeback is “not sure,” as the manager said, then who will pitch? Well, Carlos Mendoza now has to rely on the young arms…

In Kodai’s absence, the Mets are leaning heavily on youth

With Kodai’s uncertainty and the Queens battling for the wildcard spot, the franchise has turned to its youngest arms.

Now, according to the reports, the Mets will use their three youngest starters in a row, with a spot in the playoffs on the line. Carlos Mendoza said that Brandon Sproat will start the series opener on Friday in Miami. For the rest of the games against Chicago, Jonah Tong will throw on Wednesday, and Nolan McLean will pitch on Thursday after a usual day off.

The strategy aligns with expert analysis. Just a few days ago, ESPN’s David Schoenfield suggested, “If the Mets are to hang on, the rookie starting pitcher trio of Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat will play a huge role. Mclean continues to take over as the rotation ace while Sproat’s second career start was a beauty — six scoreless innings against the Rangers.”

Nolan McLean has been the best, going 4–1 with a 1.27 ERA, 42⅔ innings pitched, 46 strikeouts, and a 1.01 WHIP. Jonah Tong has been less consistent, with a 2–2 record, a 5.94 ERA, and 21 strikeouts so far. Meanwhile, Brandon Sproat had a 0–1 record and a 4.50 ERA in his first game, with 7 strikeouts in six innings.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for these rookie arms, with the Mets’ prolonged struggles that have given Cincinnati and Arizona a chance in the wild-card chase. Every pitch from these young arms could decide whether October baseball comes back to Queens or whether another season ends in disappointment.