Kodai Senga’s Mets return starts with disastrous leadoff homer in NLDS

PHILADELPHIA — The Kodai Senga experiment started terribly and ended up fine.

Making his second start of 2024 and first start since July, last year’s Mets ace returned for an NLDS appearance in which he threw 31 pitches — and wanted one of those back.

Senga allowed one run (on an absolute leadoff bomb from Kyle Schwarber) in two innings before giving way to David Peterson as the Mets opened the series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday.

After building up behind the scenes in Port St. Lucie following a calf strain and shoulder tightness during a rehab start, Senga took the mound as a wild card, a last-minute roster addition who surprised the Phillies and even some of his teammates.

Schwarber was not surprised by his third pitch.

The opening batter of the Phillies’ playoff run demolished a middle-of-the-plate fastball halfway up the second deck in right field.

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Starling Marte did not bother taking a step backward on a 425-foot blast that left Schwarber’s bat at 115.8 mph.

That would be the only hit Senga allowed, though.

He walked one batter and struck out three, both his slider and ghost forkball sharp.

Senga’s velocity was slightly down, but he touched 97 mph with his fastball.

He pitched two decent innings and becomes an enticing option if he lengthens out later in the playoffs — if the Mets are still playing later in the playoffs.