Mets lose Williams to IL, opening door for Senga, other closer contenders
ATLANTA — Mets closer Devin Williams landed on the 15-day injured list Monday with a right shoulder strain, opening the door for Kodai Senga — among others — to see save chances down the stretch.
Williams, who was unavailable for a game last week due to what the Mets called right arm fatigue, returned last Friday in Pittsburgh but allowed two runs in a non-save situation. The team placed him on the IL three days later, calling up right-hander Jonathan Pintaro to take his roster spot. Interim manager Andy Green said the Mets don’t believe “this is long-term serious for him.”
“I know he wants to compete for us before this year is out,” Green said. “And I know he wants to get on the mound and finish strong.”
Given that the Mets are highly unlikely to reinsert themselves into the National League playoff race, Williams’ absence is notable mostly for the intrigue regarding who will replace him. Around the time that Williams began experiencing shoulder fatigue, the Mets traded their next four highest-leverage relievers: Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazobán and A.J. Minter.
Right-hander Daniel Duarte recorded a save in lieu of Williams last week, but the Mets have other hard-throwing options including Dedniel Núñez and Jefry Yan.
They also have Senga, a former All-Star starter whom the Mets are currently using as a late-game leverage reliever. Senga’s transition to that role has been an open experiment for the Mets, who want to see if he can be a legitimate bullpen option for them in 2027 — the last year of his contract. Despite his inexperience in that role, Senga is still one of the most battle-tested arms at the back of New York’s bullpen.
In two outings since converting full-time to relief work, Senga has allowed just one baserunner while dialing his fastball up to 99 mph. In short spurts, Senga has also committed to relying more fully on his two best pitches, his four-seamer and forkball.
“He’s done a really nice job in his couple of bullpen outings,” Green said. “Excited to see him continue to get tested in that way.”
Since coming to the United States from Japan, Senga, 33, has been one of the game’s most inconsistent pitchers, with flashes of dominance interspersed amongst periods of significant struggle. After making the All-Star team as a rookie starter in 2023, Senga has battled shoulder, lat and hamstring injuries, as well as mechanical issues exacerbated by his physical ailments. When healthy this season, he produced a 9.66 ERA in eight games as a starter.
Though Senga holds plenty of intrigue as a one-inning reliever, Green stopped short of committing to him in any capacity, let alone as the Mets’ primary closer. For now, he is one of several options who could earn saves until Williams returns.
“If guys latch onto roles and show dominance in a particular capacity, you want to give them some level of certainty,” Green said. “Guys thrive when they know what their expectations are. We’re not there right now. Guys also thrive when they feel like they earned something and are not just given something.”