Kodai Senga is making progress.
The Mets ace threw with some intensity from the bullpen mound at Citi Field on Monday as he works his way back from a right hamstring strain.
Senga played catch from the mound for about 15 minutes, and while the activity didn’t quite amount to a bullpen session, the Mets viewed the development as a possible step.
“I feel great,” Senga said through an interpreter in his first comments since the injury. “I’m recovering really well.”
Senga suffered a Grain 1 strain — the lowest level of severity — on June 12 as he covered first base. The right-hander landed on the 15-day injured list the following day.
But Senga never stopped throwing after the injury, which could help expedite his return.
“The fact he’s already getting off the mound and letting the ball go with some type of intensity, that’s a really good sign,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Monday. “We’ll see what the next step will be, but it’s not even two weeks now and he’s already getting on the mound.”
Senga, 32, is 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA in 13 starts this season.
The Mets were already without Frankie Montas (lat) — who is set to make his season debut on Tuesday — and Sean Manaea (oblique) when Senga got injured. Tylor Megill has since gone on the IL with a right elbow sprain in another blow to the rotation.
But Senga said a rehab assignment could be “on the horizon” if everything continues to progress well.
“Daily conversations are very important,” Senga said. “I know everybody wants to know, ‘Hey, when are you going to get off the mound, when are you going to throw a bullpen, when are you going to throw in a game?’ But that’s in the future.
“I want to take it day by day,” he continued. “Maybe some days I can push it a little bit further, while some days I need to take a step back and take it easy. Those are the types of conversations I’m having every day.”
Senga suffered strains to his right shoulder and left calf last year, limiting him to only one start in the regular season.
During spring training, Senga said his goal this season was to throw 162 innings, which would qualify him for the statistical leaderboards and, thus, indicate he stayed healthy.
“Given that it was a goal of mine, I’m bummed that it’s more difficult, but at the same time, depending on how I perform in the later half of the season, maybe it’s still attainable,” Senga said.
“What’s most important is I need to get healthy, get to 100%, get back on the field and throw as many innings as possible for the team.”
