Kodai Senga to Make First Triple-A Start as Mets Chart Path Back to Big Leagues

PHILADELPHIA — Kodai Senga will make his first start with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday after accepting a minor-league option last week as the one-time Mets ace begins a bid to return to the major leagues.

Senga, demoted amid an eight-start stretch in which he posted a 6.56 ERA, has been throwing targeted bullpen sessions while working on mechanical adjustments the right-hander partly blamed for his struggles. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Senga "feels good" and is "in a good spot," but added the pitcher will have to prove it on the mound in Syracuse. The organization expects him to make two starts there to demonstrate readiness for a potential final regular-season big-league outing.

Senga is not eligible to be reinstated to the Mets' roster until Sept. 20, barring an injury to another player that would open an immediate vacancy. The move gives New York time to evaluate both his health and effectiveness after the demotion, and it provides Syracuse an opportunity to see the 31-year-old re-establish command and sequencing with his pitches.

Mendoza acknowledged the club's rotation flexibility as a factor while Senga is in Triple-A. The Mets currently list six starting pitchers and have said they could "get creative" with how they manage turns around Monday's off day. That flexibility could affect when — or if — Senga is recalled once he completes the planned starts.

David Peterson, who started Thursday for the Mets, offered a mixed sign of the rotation's state. Peterson struck out eight batters and showed sharper stuff than in several recent outings, but he lasted only five innings and allowed three runs. He has a 7.42 ERA across his past six starts, underscoring the staff's uneven performance down the stretch.

The Mets also provided updates on several injured players. Catcher Luis Torrens, placed on the injured list Monday with a right forearm contusion, has seen the swelling subside and is "feeling better," Mendoza said. The team is optimistic Torrens will miss only the minimum 10 days. Outfielder Tyrone Taylor, dealing with a hamstring strain, had been expected to begin a rehab assignment next week but could delay that plan because he is traveling home; his wife is due to give birth imminently.

Mendoza opened his Sept. 11 pregame news conference wearing an "NYPD" hat and offered a brief statement honoring victims and families of the Sept. 11 attacks, saying, "As I get to put on this uniform, this hat — what it represents on a day like today. Honoring, remembering all the people and the families that were lost on September 11. Continuing to pray for those families."

Senga's path back to relevance with the Mets will hinge on the two scheduled Triple-A starts and whether the mechanical changes translate to improved command and results. The organization has framed the assignment as a short-term, evaluative step rather than a prolonged demotion, and the right-hander's performance in Syracuse will determine whether he finishes the regular season in New York or remains a depth option through the final weeks.