Mets RHP Kodai Senga expected to miss Opening Day due to posterior capsule strain

Kodai Senga has a moderate right posterior capsule strain in the back of his right shoulder, president of baseball operations David Stearns announced on Thursday.

Senga will be shut down until the symptoms subside and strength returns. Once that happens, he will ramp up and go through a normal spring training progression.

However, he is expected to miss Opening Day, according to Stearns.

"We don't expect Opening Day, but I do expect him to make a bunch of starts for us this year," Stearns explained. "This is not a surgical-type problem. This is something with rest and treatment -- potentially an injection -- that can move this forward."

Senga, who did not work out at spring training on Wednesday because of what manager Carlos Mendoza described as arm fatigue, was examined by trainers and had an MRI, with the diagnosis being provided Thursday morning before Stearns spoke.

"At this point, I'm not gonna be able to perform at the highest level," Senga said through the team's interpreter Thursday morning. "So giving it a little bit of time is the right move."

Senga said that he started to feel the issue somewhere in his progression, but there is no pain and that this break is more about his "uncertainty" that he could ramp up his pitches to hit triple digits, which is why he reached out to the staff.

He said the message from the organization and training staff was that this setback is not severe.

"There aren't any effects on other parts of the body," Senga explained. "So if we can treat it now we can get over this hump quick."

With Senga out, the rotation now includes Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and Adrian Houser.

To fill it out in the absence of Senga, the Mets will likely turn to one of their depth options -- a group consisting of Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, Jose Butto, and prospects Christian Scott and Mike Vasil.

Of that group, it seems unlikely the Mets would go with Scott or Vasil from the jump since neither pitcher has any big league experience. And Stearns suggested Thursday that the starter who replaces Senga will probably be one who has major league experience.

Looking down the road a bit, David Peterson -- who is recovering from offseason hip surgery -- is already throwing and could be ready to return around June.

While they have a decent amount of starting pitching depth, the loss of their de facto ace could possibly lead to the Mets jumping back into the free agent market -- though Stearns hinted that it's unlikely.

"I don't think so," he said. "We're always gonna be opportunistic and hear what's out there, but I don't think it really changes our thought process."

Still, it should be noted that Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell are unsigned.

Between the two, it can be argued that Montgomery -- who is not attached to draft pick compensation and is more reliable year-to-year -- makes more sense than Snell if the Mets change course and decide to go in that direction.