Kodai Senga Recovery Going in ”Right Direction”, Mets Skipper Calm as Japanese Ace Eyes Speedy Return

Want to know what a collective sigh of relief sounds like? Go to the Big Apple. Perhaps even the halls of Citi Field. The New York Mets, who seem to be recovering from a disappointing playoff miss in 2023, were dealt a punch in their face when ace Kodai Senga was sidelined for opening day. 

Well, dealing with the diagnosis of a posterior capsule strain in his right shoulder has not been easy for Senga. In fact, the ambiguity of whether he would feel better or not itself raises doubts, particularly with Opening Day around the corner. Thankfully, Carlos Mendoza painted a rosy picture. 

Good News for the Mets as Kodai Senga Is En route to Complete Recovery

In a recent talk with SNYtv, Carlos Mendoza sounded optimistic, lifting a huge weight off the shoulders of fans. His words, to be precise were, “Everything is trending in the right direction.” With Mendoza’s encouragement fans all over learned about Senga’s dedication to his rehab. He mentioned, “He’s(Senga) strengthening that shoulder.” But this is not just the Manager’s opinion. 

As reported, the 31-year-old said that he continues to say that he feels good “progressing well in the limited activity, he’s doing a lot of shoulder exercises. So far, so good.” These words reflect the sentiment expressed previously by the team. Reports suggested that the RHP received a platelet-rich plasma injection late in February. A strict period of three-week shutdown ensues.

On one hand, the initial recovery phase appears promising. On the other, the Mets are taking a measured approach.  “I guess we’ll wait until he starts playing catch and all that,” the newly appointed Manager acknowledged. It is this cautious approach that Senga’s long-term health and efficacy over a rushed return with incomplete recovery. Isn’t that mature? 

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Call It May Day or a Potential Return Date?

Granted that a definitive timeline remains elusive, estimates hint that Senga could use roughly six weeks to ramp up after being cleared to throw. With that knowledge nugget, it’s predicted that he could be back sometime in May. Yes, he is likely to miss Opening Day, but the Mets seem to be looking at the bigger picture. Missing Senga to begin the season does hamper the Mets’ early season success. But don’t lose hope.

Read More : Injury Bug Sidelines Kodai Senga and Lucas Giolito, IL Trend Impacts Starting Pitchers as Opening Day Nears

The man who throws electrifying fastballs honed an ERA of 2.98 making him a force on the mound to be reckoned with. Nothing would solidify the Met’s pitching staff better than his healthy return. Good for the Mets, Senga would give them a potent one-two punch alongside Jacob deGrom. They say, all’s well that ends well, so it’s great that everything is “moving in the right direction“.