Mendoza Won’t Commit to Another Kodai Senga Start as Brandon Sproat ‘Sends a Message’

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he will discuss Kodai Senga’s next step after the right-hander’s latest rough outing, while prospect Brandon Sproat has been pitching as if he is ready for a call.

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza declined to guarantee another start for Kodai Senga after the veteran right-hander was chased in the fifth inning of a 5-1 loss to the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on Sunday. Mendoza said he and the club will evaluate Senga’s status and that the organization’s priority is getting him healthy and effective again.

Senga lasted 4 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs in the defeat, continuing a slide since his return from a hamstring strain sustained in June. “We just got done with the game,” Mendoza said after the loss. “We’ve got to get him right, obviously. I’m pretty sure we’re going to have some discussion what’s next for him. But our job is to get him right. It’s been a struggle.”

Senga began the season as one of the Mets’ most reliable starters, but a midseason hamstring issue and subsequent return have coincided with diminished results. Since coming back, Senga has made nine starts and carries a 5.91 ERA during that span. Those numbers, coupled with recent outings like Sunday’s, have prompted the Mets to consider alternatives in the rotation.

At the same time, Mendoza said right-hander Brandon Sproat has been making his case for a promotion. “He seems to be using his arm to send a message that he’s ready,” Mendoza said, signaling that Sproat’s recent performances have put him in the conversation for a major-league look. The club already has six pitchers currently in its starting rotation, which means adding another arm is not automatic; nevertheless, Sproat’s work has made the possibility more tangible.

Mendoza’s comments underscored the balancing act the Mets face: protecting an established starter who has struggled since an injury while managing a rotation with depth and competing short-term needs. Senga, once viewed as the team’s ace, looked dominant early this season before the hamstring issue sidelined him in June. Since his return, he has not consistently matched that form, and the club will weigh whether to keep him in the rotation, alter his workload, or make other roster moves.

The 5-1 loss to Miami was the latest setback in a stretch during which the Mets’ pitching staff has suffered several downturns. Mendoza did not outline a timetable for a decision on Senga’s next start, saying only that conversations would take place. He emphasized the organization’s responsibility to restore Senga’s health and effectiveness rather than rush a quick fix.

Sproat’s presence in the conversation reflects the broader resources the Mets can draw upon. Whether he would be summoned would depend on the outcome of the internal discussions about Senga and the needs of the rotation heading into the club’s upcoming schedule. Mendoza’s remark that Sproat is “sending a message” indicates the team is monitoring its minor-league options closely and that merit-based promotions remain a pathway for pitchers performing well in the system.

Senga’s current stretch of starts will be evaluated both through traditional metrics and the club’s medical and coaching staff assessments. His early-season dominance had raised expectations that he would anchor the rotation; the hamstring injury and subsequent inconsistency have complicated those plans. Mendoza’s careful language suggested the Mets are not ready to make an abrupt decision but will consider options if Senga cannot regain his previous form.

The organization’s choice next week — whether to keep Senga in the rotation, give him an extra turn of rest, or turn to a different starter — will affect roster construction and potentially short-term competitiveness. For now, Senga remains on the active roster, but his spot in the rotation is under review. Mendoza’s public reluctance to commit to another start for Senga leaves the issue open as the Mets head into the stretch run and evaluate both veteran and up-and-coming arms for major-league roles.