Mets starter Kodai Senga expected to be on pitch count to start the season

Kodai Senga is not anticipated to throw more than 100 pitches in an outing until deeper into his season.

Mar 14, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws a pitch during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Starting pitcher Kodai Senga may be healthy to begin the new season for the New York Mets, but he's not expected to go deep into outings early on.

In an article for Newsday, Tim Healey reported that Senga will be on a pitch count for the start of the 2025 season after the righty endured an injury-plagued campaign last year. Healey added that Senga's anticipated season debut will come against the Miami Marlins on April 1, the Mets' fifth game of the season; he will have a pitch count hovering around 75.

Mets' Kodai Senga set for limited pitch count to start season (details within): https://t.co/z6UyOdYfNO

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) March 22, 2025

The Mets were very cautious with Senga during spring training, as he only threw nine innings across three starts. However, he was fairly productive throughout those appearances, allowing just two earned runs (2.00 ERA) and striking out nine batters while walking just two.

Read More: Mets' Kodai Senga 'on a mission' to contribute in 2025

New York's cautiousness about their once-ace should come as no surprise after Senga's lost season in 2024.

The 32-year-old suffered a moderate posterior capsule strain in his throwing shoulder last spring, which landed him on the injured list to start the year. He remained on the IL for nearly five months until finally making his season debut against the Atlanta Braves on July 26; unfortunately, Senga's return was short-lived when he suffered a high-grade calf strain in the sixth inning. This forced his return to the IL, where he remained for the rest of the regular season.

Senga managed to return in time for the 2024 postseason, but proved to be ineffective in limited action. Pitching just five innings across three appearance (two starts), the righty allowed seven earned runs on six hits, with just four strikeouts and seven walks.

The Mets are now hoping that Senga can remain healthy for an already injury-riddled pitching rotation and perhaps pitch like his 2023 self. In his first season in the majors, Senga demonstrated his upside by going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA across 27 starts; this resulted in a second-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting, and a seventh-place finish in NL Cy Young balloting.

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