New Mets pitcher Kodai Senga throws 100 mph and has a forkball so good it’s called a “ghost” pitch, he has a career 2.59 ERA and five rings in Japan before age 30. Yet, with a $75 million deal, he got slightly more than mid-rotation starter Taijuan Walker. The reason may be what sources say is an iffy medical.
His physical was actually OK’d before figures were finalized by a team that’s become a stickler on physicals in what was said to be a “good behind-the-scenes collaborative effort.” If this mode impacted the final number, it also curtailed potential drama. Folks in the know say it’s common for Japanese pitchers to show more wear on the arm earlier since star starters there throw more innings at younger ages.
