Mets’ Kodai Senga still trending in ‘right direction’ despite ugly rehab start

MIAMI — Kodai Senga’s latest rehab start was ugly from a results perspective, but that won’t factor into the Mets’ plans regarding the right-hander.

If Senga is feeling well in the next one or two days he will be activated by the Mets to pitch Friday against the Braves at Citi Field.

Senga is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday at Yankee Stadium ahead of that expected start.

“Everything is trending in the right direction,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday, a day after Senga allowed five earned runs on eight hits and three walks in three innings for Triple-A Syracuse, throwing 79 pitches against Rochester.

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Mendoza, who spoke with Syracuse manager Dick Scott, compared Senga’s performance (in which his splitter was an issue) to one a pitcher might have near the end of spring training.

“You go to spring training and you are going to have some outings where it’s going to be a struggle, it’s going to be a battle,” Mendoza said. “I think that was the case for him [Saturday], but at the end of the day it’s how is he feeling physically. He keeps saying he feels good.”

Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner spoke with Senga and said there wasn’t any concern on the right-hander’s part.

“I think he wanted to pitch better, but I don’t think he was worried about the results,” Hefner said. “He’s mostly worried about being healthy and making sure his shoulder and elbow and body feel good.”

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Senga was diagnosed with a right shoulder strain early in spring training and was placed on the IL to begin the season.

His rehab hit a setback in May when he was bothered by triceps soreness and his latest ramp up didn’t begin until June.

Hefner said he would expect to get five innings and 85 pitches from Senga in his first start.

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As part of the equation in activating Senga, the Mets will shift to a six-man rotation that should also be beneficial for other pitchers.

The Mets used a six-man rotation at times last season to give Senga an extra day of rest between starts.

Last year Senga finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting after going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts for the Mets with 202 strikeouts in 166 ¹/₃ innings.

Sean Manaea was mentioned by Hefner as somebody who could receive a boost from the lengthened rotation.

“[Manaea] bounced around a lot last year between the bullpen and starting so we have got to keep all of our guys in mind and it’s not just Kodai,” Hefner said. “That is kind of the residual effect of adding someone like Kodai — everyone gets rested.”

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