Mets right-hander Kodai Senga's third MLB season is officially over with Sunday's 4-0 loss at the Miami Marlins, a result that kept New York out of the playoffs and ended any speculation over whether or not the 32-year-old would be on the team's postseason roster.
Senga was with the Mets in Miami but inactive while on a throwing program in Port St. Lucie, Fla., after being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse earlier this month.
His 2025 season ends with him going 7-6 and posting a 3.02 ERA in 22 starts for New York, plagued by the second half.
"I think it comes down to my body," Senga said through an interpreter. "I wasn't able to control my body the way I wanted to after that injury and, unfortunately, that showed up in the results on the field, too, and very disappointing that I wasn't able to contribute in that last month or so."
The Mets placed Senga on the 15-day injured list on June 13 with a right hamstring strain. He returned to New York on July 11 but was never the same, going 0-3 with a 5.90 ERA in his final nine starts through Aug. 31.
"I want to rebuild from Step 1," Senga said. "My body's changed after this injury and after various things. My body's changed, so not reflecting back on, 'My body used to do this or used to do that,' it's Step 1 again, head into the offseason, come back strong next year."
Senga elaborated on what he meant by his body changing.
"When you get injured and after you come back from injury, you're not the exact same as you were before — that's just what that means," Senga said.
Injuries limited Senga to one start in 2024. He went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 2023, his first season with the Mets.
"For example, last year, where I kind of ended the season off an injury, still kind of had to do a similar thing," he said. "But if I can make the most of the time that I have in the offseason, I can come back strong."
Senga enters the fourth season of a five-year contract that he signed in December 2022.
"That latter half of the season, it was disappointing that I wasn't able to perform out there," Senga said. "Ultimately, the decision came down to we think that somebody else pitching instead of me is going to help the team win. So, that's what it kind of comes down to."
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