Mets Top Marlins 5-1 In Kodai Senga’s Major League Debut

Highly-touted Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga made his major league debut for the New York Mets (2-1), who took on the Miami Marlins (1-2) at loanDepot Park in the final game of the Opening Day series. The Mets took the final game, 5-1, on Sunday afternoon. This thanks in large part due to the aforementioned Senga and a huge day by Tommy Pham.

Marlins’ starting pitcher Trevor Rogers put himself in a hole early in the first. With Brandon Nimmo getting the day off,Pham led off for New York with a single to left field. The Marlins nearly got out of the inning with a near-double play of the bat of Francisco Lindor, but Marlins’ first baseman Yuli Gurriel  dropped the throw to keep the Mets’ top of the first alive.

Pete Alonso and Mark Canha each then walked to load the bases for second baseman Jeff McNeil. The reigning National League batting champion dropped an infield single in front of Rogers who threw the ball away that opened the scoring. Lindor and Alonso raced home to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.

Senga took the mound in the bottom of the first and faced the American League batting champion Luis Arráez, who continues to keep hitting with a leadoff single. Jorge Soler brought home the Marlins’ first run of the game with an RBI double that scored Arráez.

Senga failed to record an out before loading the bases with a pair of walks. Fortunately, Senga settled in and sent Gurriel’s bat flying as he recorded a strikeout (his first of his career) for the first out of the inning. Another strikeout and a line out got Senga and the Mets out of the inning with their 2-1 lead intact.

Finally, in the top of the fifth inning the Mets extend their one-run lead. After outfielder Tim Locastro was hit by a pitch, Pham hit his first home run as a Met, a two-run shot, as New York now led 4-1.

Senga’s day would be done after starting the bottom of the sixth inning with a strikeout to Chisholm, his eighth on the day. After a rocky first inning, Senga put in the work and turned what could have been a blunder of a first start to an extremely solid debut outing. Senga threw 5 1/3 innings and gave up one run on three hits and three walks.

The top of the seventh went a little like the top of the fifth. Locastro would once again be hit by a pitch, then Pham sent him home with an run-scoring double to extend their lead, 5-1.

As for Mets’ pitchers, Dennis Santana (0.2 IP), John Curtiss (1.0 IP), and Stephen Nogosek (2.0 IP) combined to shut the door. The bullpen continued their strong start to the season and the Mets took home their first series of the season to open up the year with a 3-1 record.

Players of the Game: Kodai Senga

Kodai Senga might have had a rocky first inning, tossing 36 pitches in that frame alone, but once he collected himself at it was smooth sailing through the Miami lineup. Following the first inning, Senga only gave up one walk and one hit while striking out six in a game where he would pick up his first career win in the major leagues.

Outfielder Tommy Pham is also one deserving of praise, as he went 3-for-4 on the day and accounted for three of the Mets’ five runs. On a day where he took over centerfield for Nimmo, Pham was a triple shy of the cycle while hitting a 433-foot, two-run bomb to left-center field.

On Deck:

The Mets (3-1) head to Milwaukee to play the Brewers (1-1) on Monday, April 3. Carlos Carrasco will take the bump for the first time this season against Freddy Peralta on Monday at 2:10 PM ET. Following the three-game series, the Mets will open play at Citi Field for the first time in 2023 against the Marlins.