JUPITER, Fla. — This spring is filled with adjustments for Kodai Senga, who has never pitched in the major leagues, with a pitch clock or within a five-man rotation.
In his spring and stateside debut, the Mets right-hander showed he is still adjusting — but demonstrated that opposing hitters would have to do some adjusting to him, too.
After a wild start, Senga used his ghost forkball to record a strikeout, touched 98.6 mph with his fastball and pitched two innings in which he allowed a run in a successful initial Grapefruit League outing for the Japanese star.
The only hit Senga surrendered against the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on Sunday was a second-inning home run to Tres Barrera, who hammered a hanging curveball. Senga exited after 42 pitches in which he exhibited intriguing raw stuff — four of his five pitches induced a swing-and-a-miss and his fastball averaged 97 mph — but also struggled with his location.
Senga walked the first two batters he faced against a Cardinals lineup filled with regulars. Of his first 16 pitches, just five were strikes. But with runners on first and second, Senga induced a popup from Paul Goldschmidt and a flyout from Nolan Arenado before he conjured the ghost.
Jordan Walker became the first victim of a pitch known as the ghost forkball (but unfortunately, registers on MLB’s Statcast as a changeup). With two strikes, Senga turned to his signature pitch, which starts high and disappears. Walker swung over the top of the 83-mph offering. Senga did not use the pitch again.
Senga, a 30-year-old whom the Mets signed to a five-year, $75 million deal this offseason, might be the most intriguing player in camp. The righty developed into a superstar in Japan, where he pitched in 22 games last season in the Japan Pacific League and posted a 1.94 ERA.
Starting pitchers in Japan pitch once a week (with higher pitch counts), so MLB life will take some figuring out.