Senga out of Mets rotation with shoulder injury

Only the Mets, right?

With baseball activities only just getting underway, bad news has arrived at the New York Mets doorstep, as staff ace Kodai Senga is expected to miss Opening Day due to what has been described as arm fatigue.

More specifically, according to Team President David Stearns, Senga is suffering from a mild strain of his posterior capsule in the back of his right shoulder. There is no time table for his return, yet the Mets executive stressed there is no need to worry; the Mets expect Senga to pitch significant innings this year.

 “We don’t expect Opening Day, but I do expect him to make a bunch of starts for us this year,” Stearns explained to reporters down in Port St. Lucie. “This is not a surgical-type problem. This is something with rest and treatment — potentially an injection — that can move this forward.”

The news is certainly going to make Mets fans groan. They are used to news like this. From Jacob deGrom’s mysterious elbow injuries that left him on the injury list from months at a time, to Max Scherzer’s injuries before he was dealt last season, fans have grown accustomed to hearing that a Mets starting pitcher will miss time in the rotation.

Without Segna, the Mets are really rolling the dice when it comes to hoping for consistent success and innings out of their starters. Jose Quintana, who has battled his own health issues last season would slot into the top rotation spot, followed by Tylor Megill, Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Adrian Houser.

It’s a risky rotation full of starters who have a lot to prove in 2024.

There are starters available in free agency like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, but the Mets don’t seem willing to make a move at this point mainly because of cost and need. According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Mets would pay a 110 percent luxory tax on every dollar spent on a top free agent like Snell or Montgomery.

 Without Senga, the 2024 season only got tougher.

 

NHL Stadium Series at MetLife An All-Time Classic

 The 2024 NHL Stadium Series has come and gone, and what a weekend it was.  More than 150,000 fans packed MetLife Stadium over two evenings to see two crucial regular season hockey games in the middle of February, and were treated to the best the sport has to offer.

On Saturday the Devils outlasted the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3, while the Rangers stormed back from a 4-1 deficit to shock the Islanders 6-5 seconds into overtime on Sunday night.

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It's one thing to see either 18,000 revelers packed inside Madison Square Garden, the UBS Arena, or the Prudential Center, it is quiet another when 79,000 people are going nuts inside a football stadium, when Mika Zibanejad nails the game tying goal from the corner post.

On Friday players from the Rangers and Devils spoke to the media about how playing in the outdoor games brought back memories of their childhood playing on ponds and lakes while growing up. On Sunday, those emotions bubbled up for the Blue Shirts.

"I to hold back tears because it was so much a spectacle," Artemi Panarin said through his interpreter after the Rangers 6-5 win, the emotion clear in his face.

Let's be honest this weekend was a game changer. For years people always looked at hockey as the fourth most popular sport in the USA trailing football and baseball by a country mile, and basketball as well. But, the NHL proved, and the state of New Jersey proved that there is an desire for big time hockey on the grandest stage possible. And Sunday was an off-Broadway smash.

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The NHL, the players, and the crews working MetLife Stadium went all out to make this feel as big as a Stanley Cup playoff Series. We had the Devils arriving in the pregame dressed in sweats and t-shirts like Tony Soprano -- the famed mob boss of The Sopranos played so well by the late James Gandolfini.

We had the Flyers arriving dressed as Rocky Balboa.

We had Max Weinstein of the E-Street band, the Jonas Brothers, and even members of the New York Giants and Jets all in attendance to highlight the festivities.

It was a wall to wall extravaganza.

Devils Score Huge Win at MetLife Stadium Series Classic

 

In front of an electric crowd of more than 70,000 the New Jersey Devils put on a show in the opener of the NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium, taking down the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3. The win improves Jersey to 28-22-4.

With 60 points, the Devils are now within two points of a wild card slot.

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Nico Hischier led the way for Jersey with a pair of goals, including the opening goal of the game just 32 seconds into the first period to give the Devils an early 1-0.

 Jersey didn't waste much time setting the tone further when Tyler Toffoli tapped in his 24th goal of the season to make it 2-0 in the 13th minute.

The second period proved to be much wilder. Four goals combined, including three scores in a two minute span. Owen Tippett accounted for the Flyers two scores in the period, but in between back-to-back scores by the Devils Brendan Smith and Nathan Bastian in a matter of  72 seconds gave Jersey a 4-2 advantage as intermission hit.

 

Jersey's offensive barrage continued in the third period with Hischier tapping in his second goal of the night to make it 5-2. Bastain added the empty netter to cap the night off.

Give credit to the Devils defense. They were fantastic. They kept the Flyers off balance, despite Philly recording 46 shots. Devils goalie Nico Daws was solid, allowing only three goals in 60 minutes for the victory.

 

The win capped off an incredible week for the Devils, the Flyers and the sport. The Stadium Series has gained incredible traction over the years, and this was Jersey's first opportunity to showcase itself. To say the least, New Jersey hit a home run.