The New York Mets had banked on Kodai Senga making a star-studded splash in his sophomore season. Now, with his return date murky and Opening Day approaching, alarm bells are starting to faintly ring in Queens. The question isn’t just about Senga’s health anymore; it’s about whether the team as a whole is ready to weather what could be a prolonged storm.

The news of his delayed return throws a massive wrench into their rotation plans, especially as they chase a World Series title. Forget the feel-good stories of talented prospects—a potential pitching crisis is looming for the Mets. Could this mean the Queens team is scrambling back to the free-agent market for a last-minute arm? 

Kodai Senga’s Uncertain Timeline

Initial reports in February pegged Senga’s shoulder strain as a roughly three-week recovery. But as the Mets’ president of baseball operations, David Stearns, admitted, that timeline has extended—possibly into May. “It’s just our internal pacing of this and our internal testing,” Stearns explained to The Athletic, hinting at a very cautious approach. “We’ve got a lot of objective information we can use throughout this process… In this case, it’s a week longer than we anticipated on the front end.”

While the Mets avoid the dreaded “s-word” (setback), it’s clear that Kodai Senga’s return won’t be as simple as was initially hoped. He’ll need MRI confirmation, followed by a mini-spring training of six weeks. Could this drag the ace’s absence further into the early season?

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The Mets are scrambling to adjust. Jose Quintana, solid but not a Senga-level force, got the Opening Day nod. Tylor Megill likely slots into Senga’s rotation spot—for now—with other young arms chomping at the bit. But make no mistake—this isn’t the rotation Queens initially envisioned. It puts more pressure on everyone else to deliver early, with less margin for error.

Kodai Senga Recovery Going in ”Right Direction”, Mets Skipper Calm as Japanese Ace Eyes Speedy Return

With Kodai Senga’s timeline in flux, don’t be surprised to hear the Mets sniffing around the pitching market again. A savvy, short-term veteran signing isn’t out of the question. Stearns insists they’ll continue to explore options: “We’re never going to stop looking to improve our team… We’ll continue to do that throughout the year,” he states. But will a suitable, affordable pitcher materialize—and does the team really want to give up on prospects for a temporary fix?

The Youth Movement Conundrum

Stearns is playing a delicate balancing act between age and experience. He wants to see if stars like Mark Vientos and Brett Baty can shine on the big stage, but he also needs to win now. “Yeah, I do,” Stearns confirmed when asked if he expects that the current options will fill out the Opening Day roster. This could create a short-leash situation.

It is fantastic for fans who want to see their prospects get playing time—but maybe not ideal for building young players’ confidence long-term. With pitching heavyweights like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery still on the market, could this be Steve Cohen’s moment to pounce and bolster the team’s rotation for years to come?

Kodai Senga’s injury is a blow, and the Mets must now navigate choppy waters. This isn’t necessarily a catastrophe, but it definitely weakens their early-season hand at a time when the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies seem to be reloading arms.

Read More: Injury Bug Sidelines Kodai Senga and Lucas Giolito, IL Trend Impacts Starting Pitchers as Opening Day Nears

This resilient team has surprised us before, so it wouldn’t be wise to write them off just yet. But the clock is ticking—both on Senga’s health and the Mets’ need to find pitching depth that they certainly didn’t expect to be searching for this close to Opening Day. On a brighter note, for all the latest Spring Training excitement, tune into MLB Spring Breakout Live on the ES Fancast!