Kodai Senga ‘in a good spot’ ahead of first Triple-A start as path back to Mets begins
NY Post
PHILADELPHIA — Kodai Senga’s quest back to the majors and back to Mets relevance begins Friday.
The one-time ace will make his first start with Triple-A Syracuse after accepting a minor league option last Friday amid significant struggles at the major league level.
Senga is expected to make two starts to demonstrate to himself and the team that he has straightened himself out in time for what could be one final regular-season major league start.
Since being demoted, Senga has been throwing bullpen sessions and working on his mechanics, which he partially blamed for a miserable, eight-start stretch in which he pitched to a 6.56 ERA.
“He feels good. He feels like he’s in a good spot,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Senga after those targeted bullpen sessions. “He’s made some adjustments with his mechanics. Now he’s got to go out on the mound and we got to see.”
The Mets have six starting pitchers at the moment and could get “creative,” as Mendoza has said, with the rotation after Monday’s off day.
Michael Pittman Jr. has a gut feeling.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Toumani Camara had career highs of nine 3-pointers and 35 points to help Portland beat the Brooklyn Nets 134-99 on Monday night, the Trail Blazers’ largest margin of victory this season.
The Rangers hit the mark with their on-ice ceremony honoring Mika Zibanejad ahead of his 1,000th NHL game Monday night.
PORT ST. LUCIE — For now, Craig Kimbrel is choosing Mets purgatory.
‘Freak of nature: Zion Williamson’s resurgence could pose a Knicks problem versus motivated Pelicans
Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
On the Queens side of town, the reno began in earnest almost as soon as Francisco Lindor grounded into the 4-6-3 double play. That ended a 4-0 loss before a rare sizable crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park last Sept. 27, all of them there to witness the final death rattles of an epic baseball calamity.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being paid handsomely for his breakout season.
Next comes the harder part. Mostly because it can’t get any easier.
It was Kids Day at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but for the Rangers, it’s been All About The Kids for months.
PORT ST. LUCIE — From the moment he was told he needed surgery on his left hamate bone, Francisco Lindor fixated on the recovery time. Trainers provided the Mets shortstop a six-week pathway to return to play, and Lindor was determined to hit every marker.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.