Kodai Senga‘s rehab was put on pause due to ulnar nerve irritation earlier this week, but it didn’t seem to affect him as he quickly returned to the mound on Thursday night.
The right-hander was spectacular across six innings of work for Double-A Binghamton.
Senga cruised his way through the Somerset Patriots lineup, only allowing a solo homer while striking out five with a HBP and a walk mixed in, his most successful outing to this point.
He threw 75 pitches (51 strikes) and retired the final 10 batters he faced.
“It was encouraging,” Carlos Mendoza said before Friday’s game against the Braves. “You look at the line, six innings and 75 pitches, that goes to show that he threw strikes and he competed in the zone — that’s good to see.”
That marked just the second time in which Senga has completed six innings this season.
The Mets will continue to take things day-by-day with him from here.
Mendoza said that Senga is expected back at the ballpark for a bullpen session on Friday, and they will see how he responds after that, but will likely send him for another rehab appearance.
Prior to Thursday night, he’d allowed eight runs over his first three minor league outings.
“We want to see it again,” Mendoza emphasized. “The type of performance that he put together last night, and then we’ll have to make a decision with him from there.”
Senga endured a brutally rough start to the season before landing on the IL, pitching to a 9.00 ERA and 1.95 WHIP while allowing five homers in as many appearances.
Getting him back healthy and doing his thing would certainly be a big boost for the Mets’ rotation.
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