The New York Mets’ already grim 2026 campaign just got a little darker. After a nerve issue in his right arm forced Kodai Senga to be scratched from a scheduled rehab start Tuesday, questions are swirling about whether the star pitcher can ever reclaim the form that made him an All-Star.
Sources close to the situation claim that Senga’s recurring health woes are raising alarm bells inside the clubhouse. The Japanese right-hander, who signed a five-year, $75 million deal in December 2022, has been a shell of his former self — and this latest setback is reportedly the most troubling yet.
A Season of Pain for Senga and the Mets
According to team insiders, Senga’s nerve irritation is not considered a major structural injury, but the fact that it flared up at such a critical juncture has people worried. “It’s like every time he takes two steps forward, something pulls him back,” one source told us. “The frustration is palpable.”
Through five starts this season, Senga is winless with an ugly 9.00 ERA. His most recent big-league outing — a two-inning disaster against the Colorado Rockies on April 26 — left fans and analysts questioning whether his shoulder is truly healthy. Rehab appearances haven’t helped: on June 3 with Triple-A Syracuse, Senga walked two batters, hit two more, and surrendered three runs on six hits over five innings.
“If we continue to stack together good days and feel like I’m prepared, I don’t think getting back into a game is too far away,” Senga reportedly told reporters through an interpreter. But some evaluators wonder if those “good days” are running out.
What This Means for the Mets’ Future
The Mets currently sit dead last in the National League East with a 29-36 record. While they’ve won seven of their last 10 games, that modest hot streak feels fragile — especially with Senga’s timeline again uncertain. Insiders say that if Senga can’t stabilize the rotation, New York could be forced into a dramatic sell-off before the trade deadline.
“Nobody expected Senga to be this fragile,” one league executive told us. “At this point, you have to wonder if he’ll ever be the pitcher they thought they were buying.”
The Mets face the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, and all eyes will be on how the rotation holds up without their highest-paid arm. For Senga, every bullpen session from here on out will be scrutinized like a playoff game.
One thing is clear: the clock is ticking — and for both Senga and the Mets, the margin for error has shrunk to zero.
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