It was a matchup anticipated midway all over the world: Kodai Senga vs. Shohei Ohtani.
There was a buzz within the air that hadn’t been felt at Citi Field since again in May when the Mets nonetheless had hope for the season. Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels did too, for that matter, and so they’re nonetheless hoping for a miracle, however they will hold hoping after a 3-1 win over the Mets on Friday evening.
If Senga had any additional feelings, he didn’t allow them to present. He mentioned that he was proud to pitch on Japanese Heritage Night and famous that he had beforehand confronted Ohtani, however regardless of the fanfare in New York and Japan, it appeared as if it was simply one other begin for Senga.
“I think he’s so focused on pitching that he doesn’t get caught up in that type of moment,” mentioned supervisor Buck Showalter. “But it’s good for baseball and [Japan] and they both presented themselves well.”
Ohtani received the matchup towards his Japanese countryman going 1-for-1 with two walks. Senga, the Mets’ rookie right-hander, walked Ohtani on 4 pitches within the first inning. Showalter mentioned he was making an attempt to get Ohtani to chase one thing exterior, however Senga mentioned he struggled together with his management. He wasn’t making an attempt to pitch round a generational hitter, however his finest stuff didn’t come till later within the recreation.
“I wasn’t able to control myself as well until later on in the game,” Senga mentioned by translator Hiro Fujiwara. “Not just in that first at-bat against him, but in general, in the first half of the game I wasn’t able to command the way I wanted to.”
It was Ohtani’s third-inning double that in the end doomed Senga (10-7) and the Mets.
Facing the highest of the order, Senga hit Nolan Schanuel with a pitch to place one on and produce up Ohtani. Senga lastly challenged the sport’s most-feared slugger with a cutter proper over the plate. Ohtani hit it onerous — however foul. The subsequent pitch was a cutter low and away for ball one. Senga then acquired a beneficiant strike name with a excessive fastball that Ohtani took.
Senga went again to the cutter on 1-2 and Ohtani smoked it to proper subject. It was registered at greater than 115 MPH off the bat and it looped and curved all the way in which to the warning monitor, sending proper fielder Jeff McNeil a technique after which one other.
McNeil practically received to the ball however it fell previous his outstretched glove for a double, advancing Schanuel to 3rd.
A sacrifice fly by onetime former Met Brandon Drury and an RBI single by veteran third baseman Mike Moustakas scored Schanuel and Ohtani to place the guests up 2-0.
“The fact that he’s an outstanding hitter doesn’t change and it hasn’t changed,” Senga mentioned. “The things like the exit velo and the stuff that he hits is incredible and it has been incredible in Japan and here, maybe even a little more so in Japan.”
Senga confronted no different bother. He exited with two out and none on within the seventh after going through the order the third time by. He struck out Mickey Moniak and Randall Grichuk to document his third profession double-digit strikeout recreation, permitting solely two runs on 4 hits.
The Mets didn’t give Senga a lot assist offensively. Francisco Lindor’s third-inning house run towards Patrick Sandoval (6-11) made it 2-1 and the Mets (59-70) would get no nearer. The Angels (62-67) scored once more within the ninth.
Ohtani won’t make his scheduled begin towards the Mets this week due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament. He’s mulling one other Tommy John surgical procedure, although he want to keep away from it. How that may have an effect on his future — be it with the Angels, the Mets or one other group — is unknown. The most original participant the sport has seen in a technology will head into free company injured.
Ohtani got here as much as bat within the ninth to face left-hander Brooks Raley with runners on the corners and two outs. The Mets deliberately walked him.
The buzz from these early at-bats was gone. It was changed by boos. It was a fittingly lackluster ending for 2 groups headed towards lackluster finishes to the 2023 season.
The buzz from these early at-bats was gone, having been changed by boos. It was a fittingly lackluster ending for 2 groups skidding to the top.
“I don’t know if it was a special day,” Senga mentioned. “But it was a good experience.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com