New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga enters the 2026 season looking to rebound. At the same time, a writer unleashed a bold prediction for the New York hurler. Tim Britton, a writer from The Athletic, predicted the 33-year-old will make the All-Star team this July.
“Just about every Kodai Senga story contains one sentence that starts, ‘It’s easy to forget…’” That Senga was one of the National League’s best pitchers in 2023, that even the compromised version of himself was the Mets’ choice to make abbreviated Game 1 starts in two playoff series in 2024.”
What are your expectations for Kodai Senga this year?
Spring line: 9.2 IP (3 GS), 2 ER (2 HR), 11 K to 1 BB
Max velocity of 97 MPH on his fastballIs 2023 Kodai still in there? pic.twitter.com/q2GqjvxLFx
— jack (@Jolly_Olive) March 24, 2026
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As a rookie in 2023, Senga posted a 12-7 record with a 2.98 ERA and a WHIP of 1.22. The only issue was his wild pitches, leading the majors with 14 wild pitches. The following year, the hurler endured a couple of injuries. First, he went to the 60-day injured list with a moderate posterior capsule strain.
2025 looked promising until a hamstring injury hampered Senga. Despite his truncated season, the right-hander recorded a 14-8 record with a 3.02 earned run average.
GettyMets pitcher Kodai Senga pitches against the Atlanta Braves.
Newfound Confidence Buoys Senga During Spring Training
Britton noticed how different Senga entered camp this spring.
“The right-hander is as outwardly confident as he’s ever been in the major leagues, and his stuff through spring justifies that assurance. He was hitting 99 on the gun with his fastball and slicing through lineups.”
While spring training may not serve as the greatest predictor of future performance. Yet, throwing against live pitching matters. While throwing in Port St. Lucie, Senga participated in three games, sporting a 1-0 record. Additionally, he recorded a 1.86 ERA. Although the veteran only pitched 9.2 innings, he held opponents to a .171 batting average.
GettyMets pitcher Kodai Senga pitches during sroing camp.
Senga’s Pitch Arsenal Could Aid Resurgence
Senga, while Britton said he touched 99 miles per hour, actually pitches and does not throw. For example, according to Baseball Savant, Senga uses seven pitches during an outing. As mentioned, his four-seam fastball will end at-bats.
However, the forkball is his main out-pitch. The pitch travels an average of 82.1 miles per hour. As a result, batters can see the ball longer. Yet, they could not consistently hit. Last season, Senga stifled opposing batters with a forkball to a .130 average.
What makes the forkball devastating is the drop. With nine inches of vertical break, Senga fools batters with a pitch that looks like a fastball, but it rarely crosses the strike zone. Basically, the Mets pitcher relies on fooling aggressive hitters, causing over-swinging as the ball arrives after the swing.
Kodai Senga’s 2 Ghost Fork Ks in the 4th. 👻🍴
4Ks thru 4. pic.twitter.com/vtdxN47kn3
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 12, 2025
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New Role Takes Pressure Off
Freddy Peralta is the presumed ace. Rookie Nolan McLean will probably start as the No. 2 starter. Meanwhile, Senga will slide into the Mets’ rotation as the No. 3 starter. In that case, this could provide a look into the postseason. In most series, three pitchers will be the starters as the back of the rotation moves to the bullpen. The Mets could use Senga extensively in October. At the same time, given his injury history, will they be able to depend on him?
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