Mets select Kodai Senga for first game, Sean Manaea for second game
The New York Mets will send Kodai Senga to the mound in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, with Sean Manaea slated to start Game 2 on Monday.
Senga, who began the season on the injured list due to a strained posterior capsule in his right shoulder, will make only his third start of 2024 when the Mets and Dodgers kick off the best-of-seven NLCS at Dodger Stadium.
In his season debut on July 26 against the Atlanta Braves, Senga departed in the sixth inning with a strained calf that ended his regular season. He started Game 1 of the NL Division Series and surrendered one run in two innings in the Mets' 6-2 road triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies on Oct. 5.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who on Saturday declared the decision to start Senga in Game 1 and Manaea in Game 2, stated that Senga could pitch a minimum of three innings, although the right-hander from Japan believes he can go deeper into the game.
"There's not a specific number I have in mind," said Senga, 31. "I'm going until they take the ball away from me. And I'm going to give 100 percent until then."
The left-handed Manaea will take the mound in Game 2 on regular rest after tossing a one-run, seven-inning gem against Philadelphia to secure the Mets' NLDS victory in Game 4 on Wednesday.
"From the start, we wanted to put our guys in the best position to succeed," Mendoza said, "taking into account their physical condition."
If the NLCS reaches Game 5 at Citi Field, Senga could pitch on normal rest for just the fourth time since joining the Mets before the 2023 season. In his previous three outings on four days' rest, he has a 4.61 ERA over 13 2/3 innings.
"I'm prepared for anything," Senga said. "I don't expect to reach 100 pitches (on Sunday). And the number of days I have in between, it doesn't matter at this point. We need to win the game, so whenever they call on me, I'll be ready."
The Dodgers are expected to start right-hander Jack Flaherty in Game 1 and have yet to announce their starter for Game 2. Flaherty (13-7, 3.17 ERA in the regular season) has made one appearance this postseason, taking the loss in the San Diego Padres' 10-2 victory on Oct. 6 in their NLDS. He surrendered four runs and five hits, including two home runs, with one walk and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
