New York Mets To Be Without All-Star Pitcher for Much Longer Than Expected

The 2024 season hasn't been kind to the New York Mets.

They opened their season with five straight losses, almost got no-hit in their sixth game (which they somehow ended up winning) and find themselves at 4-7 two weeks into the year. Their place in this week's Power Rankings reflect that.

The Mets have as many wins as they've had games postponed this season, including another rainout Wednesday in Atlanta. It's not exactly the start they were looking for.

The bad luck for the 2024 Mets dates back to spring training, when their ace, right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga, was shut down due to a shoulder capsule strain. Senga didn't make an appearance in the spring, and opened the regular season on the 15-day injured list.

The Mets were hoping Senga would be able to return on the sooner side, but unfortunately, he just hasn't made the progress the team was hoping to see. On Wednesday, the Mets officially gave up on an April (or early May) return.

On Wednesday, the Mets announced they were transferring Senga to the 60-day injured list. This took him off the 40-man roster, making room for left-handed pitcher Tyler Jay. IT also meant Senga wouldn't be able to return until May 27 at the soonest.

Senga didn't throw for about a month before throwing on flat ground toward the end of March. However, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters on Tuesday that his All-Star pitcher has yet to throw off a mound.

Once Senga does throw off a mound, he'll have to make progress by throwing bullpen sessions and then facing live hitters. Then, he'll have to make at least one rehab start — in his case, probably multiple — before finally being able to join the Mets. While he could be pitching for the Mets again before June in theory, there's no guarantee he'll be ready by then.

In Senga's absence, the Mets' starting rotation has been surprisingly strong. In 11 games, the starters hold an ERA of 3.33 across 54 innings of work. However, before the team began a four-game series with the Braves — one of the best offenses in baseball — the Mets' starters had an incredible 2.14 ERA in nine starts.

Overall, Mets pitchers have a 3.42 ERA this year, which is tops in the National League. For now, they'll have to continue to pitch without their ace, and hope he can return once he's eligible.

Senga is entering the second year of a five-year, $75 million deal he signed with the Mets last offseason. He has an opt-out clause after 2025, but it only triggers if he pitches at least 233 2/3 innings before then.

As of now, he's at 166 1/3 innings after a dominant first year in which he went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA and made the National League All-Star team. He also finished seventh in NL Cy Young voting and second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, losing to Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who won in unanimous fashion.