The Mets received some good news after all on Monday.
After being spurned by Craig Counsell for their vacant managerial position, the Mets and Kodai Senga were informed that he is one of three finalists for the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Kodai Senga. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Diamondbacks’ right-fielder Corbin Carroll and Dodgers’ center-fielder James Outman are the other two finalists.
After signing a five-year contract with the Mets last December from Nippon Professional Baseball, Senga, 30, was one of the very few Mets bright spots during a dim 2023 season, finishing with a 12-7 record, a 2.98 ERA, and 202 strikeouts in 166.1 innings.
Senga’s patent ghost fork ball became iconic during his appearances, as he often stymied and frustrated opposing hitters.
Carroll, 23, finished with a slash line of .285/.362/.506. He was the first rookie ever to hit 25 home runs and steal 50 bases. He finished with 116 runs and 54 stolen bases.
Outman, 26, hit 23 home runs and stole 16 bases for the Dodgers while slashing .248/.353/.437.
If he wins, Senga will join Tom Seaver (1967), Jon Matlack (1972), Darryl Strawberry (1983), Dwight Gooden (1984), Jacob deGrom (2014), and Pete Alonso (2019) as Mets’ rookies to win the award.
