ATLANTA — The Mets made official Wednesday something that had been decided within the organization much earlier: Kodai Senga will certainly miss almost all of May and likely won’t pitch before June.
In need of a spot on the 40-man roster, the Mets placed Senga on the 60-day injured list, meaning the earliest the right-hander can return is May 27.
The Mets used Senga’s roster spot to select left-handed reliever Tyler Jay from Triple-A Syracuse.
Senga, who is rehabbing from a shoulder strain, has been playing catch on flat ground, but still must go through a full buildup that will include progressing to a mound, throwing live batting practice and pitching in minor league games.
“It’s not a setback, nothing is wrong with him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after Wednesday’s game was postponed by weather. “It’s just we knew it was going to take some time and with him throwing flat ground and some things, he hasn’t gotten on the mound, so it’s going to be a few weeks before we see him.”
Senga was shut down early in spring training and didn’t begin throwing again until after the Mets broke camp.
“We have been slow playing it from the beginning,” Mendoza said. “We took those extra two weeks before he started playing catch in spring training and there’s nothing new to it. It’s just more like where we are at and where he is at.”
Jose Quintana is the Mets’ scheduled starter for Thursday’s series finale against the Braves.
The left-hander has been pushed back a day following Wednesday’s postponement by weather (the makeup is scheduled for Sept. 26).
Luis Severino and Sean Manaea are the Mets’ scheduled starters for Friday and Saturday against the Royals.
Initially, Mendoza planned to insert a starter for Saturday (likely Jose Butto from Triple-A Syracuse) as the replacement for Julio Teheran, who was designated for assignments following his Monday start.
The postponement allows the Mets, if they choose, to hold off on adding a starter on Sunday, when Adrian Houser will be on normal rest.
Mendoza said a plan for Sunday was still under discussion.
The Mets, who were in a stretch of 15 games in 14 days before the postponement, welcomed the extra rest.
“A reset day for all of us,” said Mendoza, who has been judicious in his usage of relievers with the busy schedule.
Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder impingement) threw a bullpen session in recent days, according to Mendoza, and could soon begin a minor league rehab assignment. The right-hander was placed on the IL two weeks ago with a shoulder impingement.