Kodai Senga bounces back in Double-A rehab start after ulnar nerve irritation

Kodai Senga’s road to a return to the New York Mets’ rotation took a brief detour this week, but the right-hander showed progress in his latest rehab appearance. After being scratched from a scheduled Double-A outing for Binghamton, Senga returned to the mound Thursday and produced a quality start in what marked his fourth rehab start.

Senga’s setback was tied to right ulnar nerve irritation, a diagnosis that has particular importance for pitchers because the ulnar nerve is involved in sensation and movement in the throwing arm. When irritation flares, teams typically adjust workloads and timing, aiming to stop flare-ups before they can become more serious elbow or arm problems. The earlier scratch therefore served as an early checkpoint that the Mets wanted to address quickly.

According to the Mets’ reporting through MLB, the rehabilitation was interrupted when Senga was pulled from his previously scheduled rehab appearance with Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday. He then rejoined the process with a Thursday start, allowing the organization to see how his arm responded once the irritation had been managed and he was again able to throw in a game-like setting.

In that Thursday start, Senga’s performance came in the form of a quality start, a milestone that generally indicates a pitcher is able to work through multiple innings and keep the opponent’s scoring in check. While rehab starts are not meant to mirror a full major league workload, they do function as a practical barometer for readiness, particularly for pitchers working back from arm-related issues.

For the Mets, Senga is more than a single roster spot. His presence in the rotation influences how New York manages its pitching depth week to week, including how it plans rest days, spot starts, and bullpen usage. A smooth rehab progression matters not only for the eventual activation decision, but also for the organization’s ability to avoid overtaxing other arms in the interim.

More broadly, the rehab path Senga is taking reflects the modern reality of pitcher recovery. Even when medical staff believe a pitcher is close, small changes in nerve and arm symptoms can force schedule adjustments. The Mets’ willingness to pause a rehab appearance suggests they were prioritizing symptom control over sticking to a timeline, a cautious approach that can pay off if it prevents setbacks later.

What to watch next is how Senga’s arm responds after the Thursday start, including whether subsequent rehab outings maintain the same level of effectiveness. Rehab success is measured as much by how the pitcher looks the next day and in subsequent starts as it is by the numbers from a single outing. If he continues to progress without renewed irritation, the Mets can move from rehab innings toward the decision of when he can safely join the major league rotation.