The New York Mets have been without Kodai Senga since April 28 because of lumbar spine inflammation, but the veteran right-hander is now set to take an important step in his recovery.
According to Anthony DiComo, Senga will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Friday as the Mets closely monitor his progress before deciding on the next stage of his comeback.
Before landing on the injured list, Senga endured a difficult start to the 2026 campaign. Across his first five outings, he posted a 9.00 ERA along with a 23/13 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He surrendered at least two runs in every start, including a seven-run outing against the Athletics.
The Mets are hopeful the back issue contributed to those struggles and that Senga can regain form once healthy. Despite his rough 2026 numbers, the righty has still compiled a solid 3.39 career ERA with 343 strikeouts over four seasons in New York.
He also earned an All-Star selection in 2023 and delivered a strong 2025 season, finishing with a 3.02 ERA across 22 starts.
As the Mets continue fighting to climb back into the playoff race, the organization hopes Senga can eventually stabilize the rotation again. For now, though, the priority is simply getting him back on the mound without any setbacks during his rehab process.
