Mets without Kodai Senga: Projected starting rotation as ace to miss start of 2024 season
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. − Kodai Senga's absence for the start of the 2024 season due to a moderate strain of the posterior capsule in his right shoulder was unwelcome news for the Mets front office, but not one that they were unprepared for.
"It means we’re going to ask some people to step up," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Thursday. "That’s what happens over the course of the baseball season. We knew we were not going to go through a full season with just five or six starters, so here we are. We’ve got plenty of options."
Despite a number of notable names still available in free agency, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and World Series champion Jordan Montgomery, Stearns said he expects to stay the course with what the Mets have internally as they look to fill out their rotation.
"We’re always going to be opportunistic and hear what’s out there, but I don’t think it changes," Stearns said.
It means there could be an open competition brewing for the final spot in the rotation following the news of Senga's injury.
Mets starting rotation as it stands
Mets leadership has lauded the rotation's depth heading into spring training following a bunch of moves to fill in the gaps alongside Senga and veteran left-hander Jose Quintana. The Mets added Luis Severino on a one-year, $13 million contract in late November before inking lefty Sean Manaea to a two-year, $28 million deal in mid-January.
The Mets also acquired Adrian Houser in a deal with the Brewers that also netted outfielder Tyrone Taylor, while shipping out pitching prospect Coleman Crow.
The team dealt with several absences to top-end starters in 2023, with Justin Verlander opening on the injured list with a right teres major strain, Quintana out until mid-July due to bone graft surgery, and Max Scherzer missing time due to a sticky substance suspension.
Mets candidates to fill Kodai Senga's spot
A number of the familiar faces is set to compete to fill in Senga's spot to start the season, with Stearns calling Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi and Jose Butto the "right grouping" of candidates. Another potential candidate in lefty David Peterson, who earned the fifth spot last season, will miss the start of 2024 following November hip surgery to repair a torn labrum.
"Those are the guys with major league experience," Stearns said. "We’ve got a lot of exciting young starters in camp, so I’m excited to watch those guys, as well."
Despite the upstart presence of top pitching prospects Mike Vasil, Christian Scott and Dominic Hamel in camp, Stearns said that collection of young starters could still benefit from "increased minor league experience." Vasil is the only pitcher to net innings above Double-A.
Megill, who will start the spring opener Saturday, would appear to be the likeliest candidate to get the first crack at the opening in the rotation. The 28-year-old right-hander pitched to a 9-8 record with a 4.70 ERA (90 ERA+), 1.58 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 25 starts last season.
Megill has continued to tinker with a splitter to add to his repertoire this spring, and tweaked his mechanics in the middle of last season to bring back velocity without taxing his arm.
"We have really good guys. It’s just go about your business and whatever happens at the end of the day in spring training happens," Megill said. "Obviously I’m going to go out and compete and try to do that and make that spot. Nothing’s guaranteed until the end of spring."
The presence of two lefties in Quintana and Manaea in the rotation could hurt the candidacy of Joey Lucchesi, who was 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in nine starts.
"I’m just here doing my best and if I perform like I know I can do, I think I’ve got a shot at getting it," Lucchesi said. "Yeah, I’m just going to stay humble, keep my head down, do my work, stay healthy and most importantly, do my job."
Jose Butto finished the 2023 season on a high note, delivering three quality starts in his final five starts with the Mets.
Butto was 1-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 28 strikeouts in 27⅓ innings in September, and finished with a 3.64 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in nine appearances.
While Megill might have the inside track before the calendar turns to March, any of these candidates could earn their spot on the Opening Day roster with strong performances over the next month.
Mets' projected starting rotation
Jose Quintana
Luis Severino
Sean Manaea
Adrian Houser
Tylor Megill
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Kodai Senga injury: NY Mets projected starting rotation without ace
