PORT ST. LUCIE — Kodai Senga has an idea to lure his Japanese countrymates away from Los Angeles.
“We need to build a roof,” the Mets right-hander said Tuesday at Clover Park.
The Mets have tried to recruit more Japanese arms over the last two years, but the sunny Southland has proven popular, with Kodai Senga, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki all choosing to join the Dodgers. Senga remains the lone Japanese star in New York, but that star was dimmed last season when he only managed five innings on the mound. A spring training shoulder injury sidelined him until July 26, but 5 1/3 innings into his season debut a calf strain took him out again.
“Man, those five innings were electric,” said manager Carlos Mendoza.
Senga later made two appearances in the playoffs, one of which was fine, but the other was disastrous. He spent about half of his offseason doing a rehab protocol before moving to a more normal preseason routine, with the Mets sending trainers to monitor his progress. The 32-year-old finally felt “normal” again in January.
Now, he’s healthy in camp and looking forward to being able to contribute once again.
“I’m not worried at all,” he said through translator Hiro Fujiwara on Tuesday at Clover Field. “I just need to ramp up slowly, and get your screen training healthy and get through the year healthy.”
Senga is aiming to make 30 starts, one more than he made in 2023, his first year in North America. He went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA his rookie season and was named a finalist for NL rookie of the year. With the Mets hoping to use a six-man rotation, Senga will once again work with an extra off day in between starts.
QUICK HITTERS
– All pitchers are healthy, but the Mets plan to take it slow with right-hander Paul Blackburn and left-hander A.J. Minter. Blackburn’s season ended with a spinal fluid leak in his mid-back. The starter underwent surgery to fix the freak issue following the end of the season. Minter, a reliever who comes to the Mets after spending the entirety of his career with the Atlanta Braves, underwent hip labrum surgery last summer.
– Blackburn is expected to compete for the sixth spot in the rotation, along with right-handers Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill. The Mets have discussed the idea of using Megill out of the bullpen, which is where they had him during the playoffs last season. Megill hasn’t been able to stick in the big leagues as a starter since 2022, and the Mets have found that he’s better able to maintain his velocity in shorter stints. While they haven’t ruled out using him in a relief role, they still view him as a starter. Megill has one more option year left.
– Right-hander Jose Butto will continue to be used in a long relief role. Right-hander Max Kranick, who spent last season with Triple-A Syracuse, is also expected to be used in a similar way, though he could start in Syracuse again with another option year remaining. Butto is out of options.
– Brett Baty will get reps at second and third base this spring. Luisangel Acuña will also work out at third base, as well as at second and shortstop. Jett Williams, another top infield prospect, will get work at shortstop and center field.
Utility infielder Nick Madrigal, signed to a Major League contract, has never played shortstop in the Major Leagues but the Mets plan to use him as a backup for shortstop Francisco Lindor.
– Infield prospect Ronny Mauricio won’t get into any games until mid-March. After sitting out all of 2024 with a torn ACL, the Mets want to work him in slowly this spring. The 23-year-old is currently going through a running progression and recently started baseball activities again.