The Miami Marlins know Sandy Alcantara is again and exhibiting hints of his outdated self after an injury-ruined 2024 season.
The Mets hope they start discovering out the identical about Kodai Senga on Tuesday night time, when Senga takes the mound as New York visits Miami within the center sport of a three-game sequence between Nationwide League East rivals.
Senga (1-0, 3.38 ERA in 2024) will likely be making his season debut when he opposes Alcantara (0-0, 3.86 ERA).
The Mets hit 4 homers in a 10-4 win over the Marlins on Monday, when Pete Alonso’s grand slam powered a seven-run fifth inning.
David Peterson tossed six stable innings of two-run ball for the Mets, whose starters have compiled a 2.95 ERA by 4 video games. However the potential X issue within the rotation is Senga, who seemed like an ace when he completed second within the NL Rookie of the 12 months balloting and seventh within the NL Cy Younger Award race after going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 2023.
Senga made only one regular-season look final 12 months. He was identified with a proper shoulder pressure shortly after reporting to spring coaching, and when he lastly returned to face the Atlanta Braves on July 26, he strained his left calf whereas getting out of the best way of an infield popup.
The 32-year-old Japan native returned for the postseason, when he went 0-1 with a 12.60 ERA in three video games (two begins) protecting 5 innings. Senga had a standard offseason and went 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 9 strikeouts over 9 innings throughout three Grapefruit League begins.
Senga additionally appeared extra engaged with teammates and staffers, most of whom not often noticed him whereas he rehabbed final season.
“He is on a mission,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned throughout spring coaching. “This can be a man that wishes to remain wholesome due to what he went by final 12 months. He is aware of he is a giant a part of this workforce and I see a man that’s having enjoyable.
“Final 12 months, he went down early and it was irritating for him. Now you’ll be able to see a smile on his face.”
Alcantara’s first massive league look in additional than 18 months generated loads of smiles among the many Marlins on Thursday. He did not issue into the choice after giving up two runs over 4 2/3 innings in Miami’s 5-4 Opening Day win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. He walked 4 and struck out seven.
Alcantara, who gained the 2022 NL Cy Younger Award and ranked second within the majors with 858 1/3 innings from 2019 by 2023, sustained a proper UCL sprain on Sept. 3, 2023, and underwent Tommy John surgical procedure one month later. He did not pitch in any respect final season however did not enable a success Thursday till Ke’Bryan Hayes singled with two outs within the fifth.
“A bit of nervous — loads of emotion on the market,” Alcantara mentioned. “I used to be near crying, however I am arduous to (make) cry. However I really feel good. Lastly, I am again on a big-league mound.
“I really feel very completely happy about myself and the journey and all of the sacrifices that I made to be again and wholesome.”
Senga was 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in 4 begins in opposition to the Marlins, all in 2023. Alcantara is 3-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 15 profession begins in opposition to the Mets.
–Subject Stage Media
