Kodai Senga. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Kodai Senga put a show on in his first start at Citi Field Saturday, earning the victory over the Miami Marlins for the second time this week. The right-handed starter dealt with traffic on the bases in the opening frame, but once again, he was able to settle in and get through it.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.‘s solo shot in the top of the sixth was the only blemish on Senga’s performance. His final line read six innings, three hits, one run, and six strikeouts over 90 pitches.
A sold out crowd at Citi Field got their first look at Senga and his signature forkball. It is safe to say that the 30-year-old pitcher enjoyed the atmosphere in his first home start. “Obviously very grateful and I feel very warm and welcomed. Hopefully next time, I can put up more ghosts,” Senga said.
In a season of so many changes within the game of baseball, Senga has come over and delivered, right from the start. His ability to mix the four-seam fastball with the filthy splitter and his cutter has kept the Marlins’ lineup off balanced in two straight outings. He has now generated a total of 22 swing and misses which culminates in a whiff rate ranking in the league’s 75th percentile. There is no doubt Senga has an elite repertoire.
In all, the Japanese import is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 11 1/3 innings, but more importantly, the Mets are 2-0 when he is on the mound. Adversity will come at some point in a 162-game season, but so far, Senga has been everything the Mets could have asked.
