Few can dispute the difference between playing for the New York Mets and suiting up for Syracuse, the Triple-AAA affiliate in the International League. A somewhat close comparison would be the scholastic jump from high school to college; a transition likely closer to what Kodia Senga and Shintaro Fujinami experienced last year. Both packed their belongings and moved from their birthplace to a foreign land; then had to alter their previous working styles and conditions to something common but completely different.
Senga shined, finishing a clear second in the NL Rookie of the Year, seventh in the Cy Young Award voting and appeared destined to be the Mets’ ace. But appearances aren’t always what they seem. What was deemed ‘arm fatigue’ by an SNY tweet Wednesday was diagnosed as a moderate posterior capsule strain in his throwing shoulder on Thursday; leaving Mets fans already looking at the ledge with little reason not to leap.
Without leaping to conclusions, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza will need to find a new Opening Day starter since Senga is shut down indefinitely and will likely start the year on the injured list. The question from the few fans who haven’t leapt yet is how much is owner Steve Cohen willing to spend for Senga’s replacement? Those fans that cried about the lack of free spending from President of Baseball Operations David Stearns will only scream louder for a high-priced transaction; then question how much super-agent Scott Boras wants for one (or two) of his clients to sign.
I haven’t paid much attention to Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, but something tells me their every movement will become the top story for any Tri-State sports outlet for the next week. Since both are southpaws, adding either would increase the total left-handed starters to something I’ve never seen before, an overwhelming majority that takes me back to Sid Fernandez and Bob Ojeda. I mean, can you remember the last time any team had three lefties in their rotation? José Quintana becomes the Mets' DeFacto top starter, but how much can be asked from the 35-year-old beyond his career ERA of 3.74? I was already buying Spring Training stock that Sean Manaea could add a new pitch to his arsenal and improve on his late-season success from last year.
That's the type of thinking one can partake of in the spring. While the weather's not warm yet, watching highlights from Florida of fielders grabbing ground balls and batting practice stories like Francisco Lindor going deep can remind you of what warmth feels like. The generated warmth of people converging towards the double doors of the 7 Line, exiting as one blue and orange mass moving towards Citi Field and the heat from hard plastic seats sitting in the open sun for hours. Memories of wearing shorts and skin sticking to the edge as you leaned forward, knowing your attention will help the player below on the field to victory.
These are the thoughts that should be running through our collective fanbase' minds. Just yesterday, I was thinking about how Senga addressed the fact that Shintaro Fujinami was a rookie starting pitcher who was moved, both to the bullpen and then across the country at the trade deadline.
“It was obviously a very dramatic season for him, beginning as a starting pitcher with Oakland and then moving to [Baltimore] and becoming a relief pitcher, changing midseason,” Senga said through his interpreter last week. “I think he will adapt quickly to our team as well and being a Japanese player on the same team hopefully we can chat about things and take it to a higher level.”
Senga was anticipating assisting with whatever one transplant can provide another: perhaps some stability for his former teammate from Japan’s 2017 World Baseball Classic team. Maybe he can still provide that for Fujinami and his 100-mph fastball, but he’ll start the season doing that from the sidelines. Maybe Senga won’t have to, that reports of his shutdown were slightly exaggerated and the starting block of an already questionable rotation will be back sooner than expected.
But I’m a Mets fan that deals mostly with reality, letting my thoughts of fantasy out amongst relief pitchers who may or may not make the 40-man roster. The reality is there are options on the roster who can replace Senga for the moment. Joey Lucchesi (another lefty!!!) went 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA in 46 innings last year. He reported to camp 25 pounds lighter and is part of the rotation depth group that will get tested much sooner than anyone wanted.
I’ve wanted Tylor Megill to be the surprising starter who replaced Jacob deGrom to start the 2022 season. Since throwing over 60 MLB innings in 2021, I’ve wanted 'Big Drip' and David Peterson to be the backend of the Mets rotation. But the 6-6 lefty is out until May recovering from hip surgery and until I see Big Drip throw his new ‘American spork’ pitch for a strike, it’s as possible as a healthy Senga returning to throw his Ghost Fork. I’m not ready to ghost this season just yet, but starting with a big injury doesn't help those already on the ledge, and that’s the truth.
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