No timeline for Senga's return as he works on mechanics

NEW YORK -- Kodai Senga is in a holding pattern as he continues working back from a strained posterior capsule in his right shoulder, with no clear timeline for him to progress in his rehab -- let alone to return to Major League games.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday that Senga, who threw live batting practice at Citi Field on April 29, is unlikely to see hitters again for at least the next week. Instead, Senga will play catch and throw bullpen sessions while working on his mechanics. Until Senga is satisfied with those mechanics, he won’t do anything more.

Team officials, however, strongly contradict the notion that this is a setback.

“This is a guy that knows himself better than anybody and is very meticulous about his delivery, mechanics,” Mendoza said. “So yeah, there will be days where he’ll throw bullpens. For the next week or so, I think we're just going to keep it at that. … There will be a day when he's like, 'All right, I'm ready to go,' and then we'll move forward with the next step.”

Senga, who declined an interview request on Saturday, played a game of catch on flat ground in the outfield Sunday before appearing to throw off a bullpen mound. He exited through a back tunnel inaccessible to reporters.

Asked if Senga is still working through injury, Mendoza replied: “No. He said he feels fine. The arm feels good, it’s just more mechanics.”

Asked, however, if Senga is healthy enough to face batters and is choosing not to, Mendoza said: “No. We don’t want to put him at risk. When you’re dealing with your mechanics, whether your arm is not catching up, or you're flying open, you're putting individuals at risk of injury or reinjury. And that's the case here.”

Whatever its origin, this pause in Senga’s rehab has clearly pushed back his timeline. Eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on May 27, Senga is no longer a realistic option to return on that date. After Senga resumes facing hitters, the process of building up his pitch count in Minor League games will take considerable time, putting even a June return in question.

Mets officials have not commented on the right-hander’s timeline, but earlier this week, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said that Senga’s decision to stop throwing live batting practice “definitely wasn’t a pushback.” Mendoza added Sunday that the Mets are basing Senga’s schedule completely on his feedback.

“He’s in Spring Training right now,” Hefner said. “This happens in Spring Training, where a guy is working through mechanics and feeling things out and he wants to throw another bullpen instead of a live [session], or push it a couple days. That’s what’s going on. He wants to work through some mechanical stuff, and he wants to feel good in the bullpen before he does maybe another live or goes into a game. He just wants to feel good before he starts that clock.”

Senga, 31, was diagnosed with a capsule strain in late February. He’s coming off a standout rookie season that saw him go 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts.

Of note, Senga can opt out of the final two seasons of his five-year, $75 million contract if he amasses at least 400 innings before the end of 2025. The longer Senga goes without pitching, the more difficult that mark will be for him to reach after throwing 166 1/3 innings in his rookie season.