The Mets take the rubber game from the A's
New York beat its old friend Luis Severino on Sunday, as Kodai Senga continues to shine
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets blanked the A’s 8-0 on Sunday to win the weekend series at Sutter Health Park (Box)
Kodai Senga started for the Mets and was dominant, going seven scoreless innings while allowing only six baserunners and striking out four
Luis Torrens continued to star behind the plate in the absence of Francisco Alvarez, contributing three hits and driving in two runs
Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo collected two hits each
A.J. Minter and Max Kranick each fired a scoreless inning in relief of Senga to finish out the game
The Mets could soon transition to a six-man rotation - José Urena, Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell are all in consideration to join the rotation, Carlos Mendoza said on Sunday
Injury Updates 🏥
José Siri is still in significant pain and using crutches after fouling a ball off his shin Saturday. He could end up on the injured list
Jesse Winker (flu like symptoms) was out of the starting lineup again, and while he is better, he is still not 100 percent
Who’s Hot? 🔥
Through his first three starts of the season RHP Kodai Senga has allowed just two earned runs in 17 innings
The Mets have thrown three shutouts over the season’s first 15 games. They have allowed three runs or less in nine of those games
Max Kranick is unscored upon in his first six appearances of the season
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Nolan McLean (No. 5 Prospect, Double-A) 5 IP 1 ER 4 H 3 BB 6 K
C Chris Suero (No. 22 Prospect, High-A) 1-3 HR, RBI
OF Drew Gilbert (No. 11 Prospect, Single-A) 2-4 2B, RBI
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK| Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (9-5) @ Twins (5-11)
Where: Target Field - Minneapolis, MN
Starters: RHP Clay Holmes (1-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Joe Ryan (1-1, 2.65 ERA)
When: 7:40 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Kodai Senga pitching like an ace dramatically raises the Mets ceiling… ✍️
The biggest talking point about the Mets heading into the regular season was the state of the rotation, which on paper anyway, certainly looked underwhelming.
Through the first three turns, the unit as a whole has been better than advertised. Opening Day starter Clay Holmes has been a little inconsistent in his transition from late-inning relief, Griffin Canning and David Peterson have both pitched well, and Tylor Megill has been excellent.
But the pitcher most capable of raising the ceiling of the Mets’ entire pitching staff dramatically is unquestionably Kodai Senga.
And so far, he has done his part to do just that for the club.
The 2023 All-Star has been phenomenal to start the season, firing 17 innings and allowing only two earned runs. His WHIP is an even 1.00, he’s struck out 16 hitters, earned a pair of victories, and has looked every bit like the ace the Mets know he can be.
A lot has gone right for the Mets during the first two plus weeks of the season, but you’d have to put Senga’s performance at the top of the list. After missing almost the entirety of the ‘24 regular season, New York was cautiously optimistic the 32-year-old would be able to reestablish himself as one of the National League’s top starters, but understandably moved him along slowly from the very beginning of spring training.
In his absence last season, Sean Manaea stepped up and became the Mets’ de facto ace, but when he went down in spring training, it really exacerbated the need for Senga to pitch like a legitimate number one.
Manaea—and Frankie Montas—are both not expected back imminently, so for the time being, the Mets are going to be trotting out the same rotation they know—likely with a sixth starter being added at some point in the next week or so.
The Mets are confident their offense, that has been largely inconsistent here early on, will come alive and carry the team, but in the meantime, they are extremely encouraged by the rotation’s performance.
Senga in particular.
Around the League 🚩
Byron Buxton homered and doubled in the Twins 5-1 win over the Tigers
Alejandro Kirk homered and drove in a pair of runs in Toronto’s 7-6 extra inning win over the Orioles
Jung Hoo Lee crushed a pair of homers and drove in four runs in the Giants 5-4 win over the Yankees
Cole Ragans fired 7.2 excellent innings and earned the win in Kansas City’s 4-2 victory in Cleveland
Michael King fired a complete game two hit shutout in the Rockies 6-0 win over the Rockies
What a terrific pitching performance going 7 by Senga. If most of the rotation can get 7 or into the 7th, the bullpen should continue to thrive.
Someone mentioned that the team might use a bullpen game instead of using a sixth starter because they would have trouble finding a roster spot. Siri going on the IL would help that. These things tend to work out. Anyways, on SNY, two options were raised: a promising rookie and an insurance policy they picked up. The latter sounds more logical to me.