Inside The Mets

Mets' Kodai Senga 'on a mission' to contribute in 2025

After an injury-plagued 2024 season, Kodai Senga is turning heads with his strong work ethic this spring.

Joe Najarian

Mar 14, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws a pitch during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Mar 14, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws a pitch during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
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There are many players on this current New York Mets roster looking to prove themselves.

Take Clay Holmes, for example, who is looking to prove himself as a starting pitcher, and has even worked his way towards an Opening Day start. Mark Vientos is aiming to show that his great 2024 campaign is the beginning of something greater. No matter the case, everyone in New York's clubhouse has something to motivate them towards a great 2025 season.

But Kodai Senga is the most motivated of them all.

After an injury-plagued 2024 season that saw him make a single regular season start, the 32-year-old righty is leaving the Mets in awe of his strong work ethic this spring. New York's second-year skipper, Carlos Mendoza, is among those wowed by Senga's drive.

"He’s on a mission," Mendoza said. "This is a guy that wants to stay healthy because of what he went through last year. He knows he’s a big part of this team and I see a guy that is having fun. Last year he went down early and it was frustrating for him. Now you can see a smile on his face."

Senga made his last spring training start on Thursday against the Washington Nationals, and looked just like the pitcher who was runner-up for the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2023. In that appearance, the Japanese right-hander allowed just one unearned run over 3.2 hitless frames, while striking out six; he retired the last nine batters he faced.

In three spring starts, Senga has logged a 2.00 ERA in nine innings with a 1.22 WHIP, and even introduced the situational but devastating "Miracle Ball" into his pitching repertoire. Most importantly, though, is that the 32-year-old appears to be at full strength.

Read More: Mets’ Kodai Senga unleashes new Miracle Ball pitch during Grapefruit League game

"I’m on the same page with the coaches, the training staff, everybody on the team and they’re doing their best to keep me on the field and I’m doing what I can to stay on the field," Senga said.

Despite his lost 2024 campaign, Senga demonstrated his capabilities the year before in his first season coming over from Japan. In 166.1 innings across 29 starts, the righty averaged 10.9 K/9 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 3.63 FIP. If the Mets can get that version of Senga for 2025, their currently wounded starting rotation would be in great hands.

Last season, pitchers like Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, and Jose Quintana worked hard to ameliorate the absence of Senga in the rotation. Now, Senga looks to return the favor.

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Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian is the Deputy Editor and a writer for the New York Mets On SI site. He got his bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialization in sports from Rutgers University, graduating in 2022. Joe has previously written for Jersey Sporting News and for the New York Giants On SI site. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @JoeNajarian

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