Kodai Senga, Mets Agree To Five-Year Deal
The New York Mets and Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga are in agreement on a contract, says SNY’s Andy Martino.
The contract is pending a physical. Martino reports it’s a five-year deal worth $75 million.
Senga, 29, has spent his entire career in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball as a member of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and now turns stateside as a member of the Mets.
Senga has played 10 years for the Hawks. In his time, the right-hander has an 87-44 record, 2.59 ERA, 22 holds, one save, and 1,252 strikeouts. He was a three-time NPB All-Star and five-time Japan Series champion.
Senga is coming off the best year of his career. He went 11-6 in 22 games pitched with a 1.94 ERA as a starter and 156 K’s in 144 innings pitched.
The six-foot-zero-inch pitcher throws a fastball averaging 95-96 that tops out at 100 mph, a forkball, a cutter, and a slider. His forkball has been nicknamed the “ghost fork(ball) in Japan.”
Kodai Senga, "Ghost Fork" (and Grip). pic.twitter.com/c5Rwp64QeD
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 2, 2021
The Mets have assumingly filled out their rotation for the 2023 season. Headlined by Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, they’ll be followed by Senga, Jose Quintana, Carlos Carrasco, David Peterson, or Tylor Megill as the five starters.
The signing of Senga likely also ends the chances of them bringing back starter Chris Bassitt. The Mets saw Bassitt, Jacob deGrom, and Taijuan Walker depart them at the end of the season through free agency. Now none of them will be back with two already signing deals.
The Mets are going all-in and do not care about the luxury tax. They’ve signed Verlander to an $86.66 million deal, $162 million to Brandon Nimmo, $26 million to Quintana, and $10 million to Robertson in free agency. It doesn’t include the record contract they also gave to closer Edwin Diaz.
Senga has been clamoring for a chance to pitch in MLB for years. Now’s his chance.
The post Kodai Senga, Mets Agree To Five-Year Deal first appeared on Metsmerized Online.