Mets ace Kodai Senga's potential timeline to return remains murky, but he took a positive step on Tuesday, throwing for the first time since receiving a cortisone shot due to nerve inflammation in his right triceps.
Senga threw on flat ground at Citi Field ahead of Game 1 of the Mets' doubleheader with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Prior to the triceps issue that resulted in the cortisone shot, Senga had played "light catch" before missing his scheduled bullpen session.
Before the triceps problem cropped up, Senga -- who was to that point tantalizingly close to a rehab assignment after throwing multiple bullpen sessions -- had paused his comeback effort in order to work on his mechanics.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said at the time of Senga's cortisone shot that once the right-hander resumed throwing, he would ramp up his intensity before getting back on the mound.
Speaking on Monday, Senga said he had "regretful feelings" over his injury setbacks and that he planned to be deliberate with his rehab moving forward.
“First I need to check how my body feels," he said. "Then it’s really taking it just one step at a time because in order to get back at 100 percent you have to be at 100 percent at each benchmark.
"But what’s for sure is that I’m itching to come back, I really do want to come back and that’s what I’m striving for. But at the same time I can’t rush myself, so that’s where I’m at right now."