Kodai Senga has been spectacular this season.
The right-hander was forced to work his way into and out of trouble at times during the Mets’ meeting with the Cardinals on Saturday — but he got the job done, helping them secure their fourth shutout victory.
Senga retired the side in order in the first, but had some heavy lifting to do in the second as a double and a walk put two in scoring position with just one out, but he struck out Nolan Gorman and got a line out to end the inning.
He cruised through the third and fourth, picking up two more punch outs along the way.
The Cardinals threatened again in the fifth, as Thomas Saggese led off the inning with a double and then advanced to third on a wild pitch but a strike out and a strong throw to the plate from Brett Baty on a fielders choice helped him dance out of danger again.
A leadoff walk followed by a Willson Contreras single put Senga in immediate danger again in the sixth, but he got Brendan Donovan to roll into a double play before hitting Nolan Arenado with a pitch to end his day.
Reed Garrett entered and escaped the first and third jam easily — capping off Senga’s final line at three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts across 5.2 shutout innings of work.
After being limited to just one regular season start last year due to numbers different injuries, the 32-year-old has stepped tremendously thus far — pitching to the second-lowest ERA in the majors (0.79) through four outings.
Senga’s taken home the victory in each of his last three starts and he hasn’t allowed a run in any of them — stretching his streak to 18.2 consecutive scoreless innings, a much-needed return to form following his injury-plagued campaign.
“That’s what people saw here in 2023,” Carlos Mendoza said. “A guy that’s going to take the baseball and he’s going to give you a chance every night — it doesn’t matter who we’re facing. If they’ve got an ace, we feel good about our chances when he takes the ball.
“That’s what we’re looking for and that’s what you want — someone who is going to match the best of the best when he’s healthy and feeling good.”
The last time Senga was at the top of his game he was the Mets’ ace — finishing seventh in National League Cy Young voting and second in Rookie of the Year voting during a spectacular first year in the league.
Despite the success and his manager’s praise, he feels he’s not quite at that form just yet.
“The pitches are coming out of my hand and what I’m imaging them to look like there’s still a bit of a difference,” Senga said through a translator. “I think getting used to the speed I’m throwing, going deeper into games — my body will slowly adapt and hopefully I’ll get closer and get to that form.”
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