MIAMI — Kodai Senga went from the brink of a big mess to a dazzling debut Sunday in the Mets’ 5-1 win over the Marlins.
In 5 1/3 innings, he struck out eight — all on splitters, his signature pitch — and allowed one run, three hits and three walks.
He wowed only after putting himself at risk of not finishing the first inning. The first four batters reached. He didn’t record an out until his 28th pitch. But after a bases-loaded, no-outs mound visit from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, Senga looked like he flipped a switch, retiring the next three hitters to escape without allowing another run and facing virtually no further issues from there. He retired 15 of his last 17 batters.
