Mets lose pitcher Kodai Senga to calf strain in season debut after shoulder injury

Kodai Senga’s season debut didn’t end well on Friday night at Citi Field.

Senga, in the sixth inning of the New York Mets’ 8-4 win over the Atlanta Braves, suddenly pulled up in clear pain while chasing an infield popup off the mound. Senga fell down to the field while holding his left calf, grimacing, as Pete Alonso caught the pop up from Austin Riley to make the out.

Eventually, Senga limped off the field and back to the dugout. His night was over.

“He dominated today,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, via ESPN. “You hate to see him go down like that.”

Senga finished with nine strikeouts in more than five innings on Friday night in the win. He allowed two hits and two runs, which gave him a 3.38 ERA on the night. The 31-year-old had missed the first half of the season after going down with a shoulder injury in May. He’s been recovering ever since.

Senga, who was the NL Rookie of the Year runner-up last season, went 12-7 last season and held a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts with the Mets.

Senga was diagnosed with a left calf strain. It’s unclear how severe the injury is or how long he will be sidelined. Senga will undergo an MRI on Saturday.

The Mets rallied out of an early 2-0 hole with a wild third inning on Friday. J.D Martinez hit a grand slam to kick off the inning and suddenly give the Mets the lead, and then Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez each hit home runs to suddenly put them up 7-2. Though Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall each hit solo home runs later in the night for the Braves, it was too late. The Mets held on to grab the four-run win.

The win for the Mets on Friday night marked their fifth straight. It pushed them to 55-48 on the season, which is their best mark over .500, and it moved the Mets past the Braves for the top wild card spot in the NL. They still trail the Philadelphia Phillies by nine games in the NL East.