Let’s get this out of the way first. Pitchers who take to the mound in the major leagues are at risk of injury. That’s the reality of aiming for speed and accumulating hundreds of innings on top of that.
Kodai Senga’s “moderate right posterior joint capsule injury” in his shoulder was a setback for a New York Mets team that needed an ace to boost its playoff hopes. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns told reporters Thursday that Chiga is expected to be placed on injured reserve when the season begins.
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But it’s a reality that teams, including the Mets, were clearly wary of.
Former Mets GM Zack Scott wrote Wednesday. On the afternoon of X, Chiga’s injury was classified as arm fatigue, and he did not think it would be a “big deal”. And the 2020-21 Mets employee continued, “However, it is worth noting that multiple teams had concerns about his long-term health during free agency.”
The Mets signed Chiga to a five-year, $75 million contract last offseason. He blossomed into an elite starter, posting a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings/29 starts, but on a once-weekly schedule rather than every five days like most starters in MLB. Pitching also required careful handling. He will likely be primarily part of the six-man rotation this season as well.
Furthermore, when Chiga signed with the Mets, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported through sources that Chiga’s health was “questionable,” which is why Chiga was only paid $75 million. It was reported that it may be possible. However, the Mets reviewed his medical and ultimately determined it was sufficient to offer him a contract. Fellow player Yoshinobu Yamamoto was 25 years old, and Chiga was 30 years old in his first MLB season, but they acquired rights worth a total of $325 million over 2012.
Stearns said he expected Chiga to “make a lot of starts,” but SNY’s Andy Martino warned that Chiga “could be out for several months.”
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