The Mets' Kodai Senga makes a shocking move to start NLDS Game 1 against the Phillies

PHILADELPHIA – One day, Kodai Senga is pitching in Florida and wonders if he’s wasting his time getting ready for a game that might not even exist.

The next moment, Pete Alonso hits a game-winning three-run home run in Milwaukee, keeping the New York Mets’ Cinderella season alive, and Senga is boarding a plane to join his teammates in Philadelphia for one of the most unlikely starts in the Major League Baseball to experience postseason history.

Senga, who has pitched just once all season, pitching a total of 5⅓ innings on July 26, will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday afternoon against the strong Phillies.

Yes, really.

The stunning announcement brings back memories of 2016, when Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber missed the entire regular season due to knee surgery, only to return as designated hitter in time for the World Series.

So how long can he possibly last in the first postseason game between these two NL East rivals?

“I’m ready for anything,” Senga said. “If they say 10 pitches, I’m all in for 10 pitches. If they say 200, I’m in for 200.”

Uh, when have you ever thrown 200 pitches?

“Five years ago,” Senga said, without a smile on his face – since no one in Japan cares about pitch counts.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was cautious when asked, saying he also had no idea how long Senga would pitch.

“We’ll see, we’ll let it run,” Mendoza said. “We have a plan. But we’ll go out and watch him closely and go from there.”

Ultimately it could be Senga’s fault.

He was the one who told the Mets he finally felt good enough to join the club after missing the first four months with a right shoulder strain and then the last two months with a calf injury.

If he’s fine and pain-free, he could continue playing until he tells Mendoza it’s time to stop.

“If anyone knows himself better than anyone else, it is Kodai Senga,” Mendoza said. “We went through this with him for a whole year. And the times where he goes out and faces hitters or throws a lot of bullpens and he doesn’t do that. “He feels right, he always lets us know that. And that wasn’t the case in this situation. He was the one that came up to us and he wanted to know what we were thinking in case we were here in the Division Series or potential NLCS.

“We just wanted to hear what he had to say… He’s excited. When we spoke to him he immediately said he was ready to go.

This is a guy who has frustrated the Mets all season, patiently waiting until he was ready, and when he was, he pitched into the sixth inning against Atlanta, struck out nine batters, and then limped off the field.

He spent the rest of the summer rehabilitating and was last seen throwing a bullpen session against the Mets’ minor league leaders on Monday at their complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

He knew the Mets were waiting for him and finally told the team on Wednesday that they could count on him if they reached the next round of the playoffs.

Alonso then hit the home run that was heard in New York, the Mets moved on and Senga boarded a plane.

“I think it’s just because they were very transparent with me,” Senga said. “Whenever you are ready, we would be happy to use you.” And I was able to improve my physical and mental condition to that point and they were able to join me. …

“I feel physically ready. It’s a feeling thing. But I feel ready now.”

The Mets didn’t even know they would even be in the postseason until they beat Atlanta on Monday in the first game of a makeup doubleheader. They survived a grueling best-of-three series against the Milwaukee Brewers with Alonso’s magic in the ninth inning and could certainly use Senga to bolster their depleted rotation.

But Senga’s teammates would be lying to you if they thought Senga was ever a real option, as some players have already given up on that idea.

“I was surprised,” said Mets starter David Peterson, who played an integral role in Senga’s absence, going 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA. “We hadn’t really talked about it much.” I think everyone is happy to have him back, especially because it was his first time this season and he was only there for one start.

“So it’s exciting to have him, another elite arm at our disposal, and I look forward to seeing him compete.”

Still, you’re talking about a pitcher who has thrown fewer than six innings in the last 374 days when he takes the mound in front of a sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

“I think it will be a challenge to get back into an atmosphere like that and get back up to speed,” Peterson said. But I have no doubt that with the work he has done and the way he has prepared, he is ready for the challenge.”

The Mets say they really have no idea what to expect, but considering he dominated a strong lineup in Atlanta in his season debut in July, perhaps history will repeat itself on the biggest stage of his MLB career.

“It’s no joke here when he starts against the Phillies in Game 1 of the Division Series,” Mendoza said. “But it was pretty impressive not watching him all year and then going out and competing against the Braves lineup. We’ll see how he goes and again, we’re ready to adjust if necessary.”

Senga certainly knows the Mets have complete confidence in him. If they believed he wasn’t ready or could only last an inning or two, they wouldn’t let him waste a valuable spot on the pitching staff. You wouldn’t leave a pitcher off your Division Series roster if you have serious doubts about Senga’s ability to provide innings.

“The team believes in me,” said Senga, “and I believe in myself. All I can do is go out and perform. … I look forward to it.”

Things worked out quite well for Schwarber and the Cubs in 2016, winning their first World Series in 108 years.

The way the Mets do wonders with their drama, why not do another one?

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

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The Mets’ Kodai Senga makes a shocking move to start NLDS Game 1 against the Phillies

ByJasper

By Jasper

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