Mets' Kodai Senga named to NL All-Star team
Kodai Senga of the New York Mets against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field. Credit: Jim McIsaac
SAN DIEGO — Kodai Senga, the rookie from Japan who came stateside with immense hype and overcame a turbulent early-season adjustment period to become the Mets’ best starting pitcher in the first half of the season, is an All-Star.
MLB announced Saturday that Senga is headed to the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday in Seattle as a replacement for the Cubs’ Marcus Stroman. Stroman, a Medford native and former Met, said he will not pitch in the exhibition because he prefers to rest.
“First of all, I’m very surprised. But I know it’s an honor to be selected,” Senga said through an interpreter. “I wasn’t initially selected and I didn’t really think anything of it. It caught me by surprise.”
Manager Buck Showalter said: “He’s pretty excited about it. He’s trying to be respectful, like he always is, of somebody that maybe didn’t get picked from another club or our club. You know how he is. But it’s a great tribute to him.”
Senga (7-5) has a 3.31 ERA, the best of any Mets starter, and a 1.28 WHIP. His most recent outing — eight innings, one run, season high-tying 12 strikeouts — might have been his best. But he also has walked 12.3% of batters, most among qualified pitchers.
“Reflecting back, I know I’ve been a little bit inconsistent doing my job as a starter,” he said. “I’ve let a lot of walks and guys on base. Going into the second half, those are things I want to work on.”
Quintana update
Lefthander Jose Quintana made his final rehabilitation start for Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, reaching his desired pitch count but not pitching effectively. He gave up five runs, four hits and three walks in 4 1⁄3 innings and threw 78 pitches, within the planned range of 75 to 80.
The Mets expect Quintana, who has been out since mid-March because of rib surgery, back in the first week after the All-Star break — a delay from their previous intention to bring him back about now. He is scheduled to throw a simulated game during the Mets’ workout Thursday at Citi Field.
Extra bases
Brett Baty returned to the lineup after being out of the previous two games because of a sore left hamstring . . . Saturday was the Mets’ last game of the season with a start time after 8:15 p.m. ET.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
