Kodai Senga will squeeze in one appearance before the minor league season concludes this weekend and then be evaluated for a potential return to the Mets.
The right-hander is scheduled to pitch 1-2 innings (maximum 35 pitches) Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse in his first and only rehab start in his return from a left calf strain.
If Senga doesn’t incur a setback during his outing, he could rejoin the Mets to pitch Friday in Milwaukee, but his role has not been determined. The most likely scenario is Senga could serve as an opener.
“This is a guy who has a special routine and is pretty meticulous about everything he does — he is going to have a lot of say in this decision,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before the Mets’ ugly 12-2 loss to the Phillies on Friday.
“If he’s like an opener where he can go through his routine and give us 35-40 pitches and then we’ll visit it after that, but if he feels like he can get ready and go to the bullpen, then we’ll discuss that, too.”
Senga has pitched only once for the Mets this season — in his return on July 26 from the shoulder and triceps strains that kept him sidelined since spring training — and sustained the calf injury.
“Before we put him in any major league competition, we’re going to make sure we have confidence that he is ready to go,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “We’ll see how things go [Saturday] and when he gets back here … and then we’ll make a decision whether it’s next weekend in Milwaukee or beyond. These situations are always fluid.”
Stearns is encouraged by the strong performances the Mets have received in the minor leagues in recent weeks from Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams, both of whom missed large portions of the season with injuries.
“You never like to lose significant playing time, significant development time for prospects — those guys had rough injuries — but both worked hard to get back,” Stearns said. “I think it will benefit them as they head to the offseason.”
