The New York Mets officially introduced Kodai Senga at a press conference Monday, and the Japanese pitcher wasted no time in adding a little fuel to the team’s rivalry with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Senga, who signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Mets in free agency after spending 11 seasons with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, was asked who he’s most looking forward to facing now that he’s making the transition to Major League Baseball.
“The Phillies’ lineup,” Senga told reporters, in English.
Obviously, this is a harmless comment. The Phillies just advanced to the World Series, exposing them to a global audience, and Senga clearly is embracing the competition that awaits in a big market within the National League East.
But don’t be surprised if Phillies fans — if not the Philadelphia organization itself — keep receipts as Senga prepares for his first season in MLB. The Mets and Phillies figure to battle with the Atlanta Braves atop the division in 2023, thereby creating the potential for some pivotal showdowns between Senga and Bryce Harper, among others.
Senga, who turns 30 in January, went 11-6 with a 1.89 ERA in 23 starts (148 innings) last season. He’ll presumably slot into the middle of the Mets’ rotation, behind aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
