The season debut of the New York Mets’ Kodai Senga lasted 5 1/3 innings on Friday night, until the right-hander was removed from his start against the visiting Atlanta Braves with a left calf strain.
He will go for an MRI exam on Saturday, according to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.
Senga, 31, who is beginning his second year with the Mets after pitching in his native Japan since 2012, opened this season on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder strain he sustained in his pitching shoulder in February.
After getting Austin Riley to hit a popup near the mound leading off the sixth inning, Senga appeared to sustain the injury as he moved away from the area to give the converging infielders room to make the catch. He then fell to the ground but eventually left the field under his own power.
“We’ve got to get an MRI. That’s not happening until tomorrow,” Mendoza said postgame. “He’s got to wait and see what we’re dealing with here. I don’t want to sit here and speculate, (but) I don’t think there’s anything related to the Achilles, but we’ve got to wait and see.”
Senga picked the win on Friday after surrendering two runs on two hits and a walk. He struck out nine.
Last season, Senga went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 games, earning a spot on the National League All-Star team. He struck out 202 batters in 166 1/3 innings, and he finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in NL Cy Young Award balloting.
