Mets’ Kodai Senga happy to recruit fellow Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto

ST. LOUIS — Kodai Senga would welcome the chance to recruit a fellow Japanese pitcher to the Mets, and if essential to promote the group on the participant.

However Mets won’t want convincing. Group officers have already scouted Yoshinobu Yamamoto and will look to focus on the 25-year-old, who is anticipated to be posted this offseason by his group in Japan

Yamamoto, a right-hander, is 12-4 with a 1.48 ERA in 17 begins for the Orix Buffaloes. In every of the final two seasons he was the Pacific League MVP. In each seasons he received the Eiji Sawamura award, the Japanese equal of the Cy Younger.

Senga was a teammate of Yamamoto’s with Group Japan and likewise performed with him on an All-Star group.

“I’ve identified him since he was 20 years outdated,” Senga stated Thursday via his interpreter, earlier than the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. “He’s been on the prime stage since he was very younger, and I do know he has a ton of expertise. He’s an incredible participant.

“He’s an incredible pitcher all-around. He has velocity, he can throw exhausting. He has good management and command. He may throw off-speed that has a ton of break.”

Senga joined the Mets final winter on a five-year contract price $75 million, which has been cash well-spent. The appropriate-hander will take a 9-6 file with a 3.30 ERA into his begin Saturday towards the Cardinals and has turn out to be the employees ace following offers on the commerce deadline that exported Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

Not like the 30-year-old Senga, who was free to depart for the U.S. with out his outdated group receiving compensation, any MLB group curious about Yamamoto must pay a posting charge.

Thus far, Senga stated, communication between him and the Mets about Yamamoto has been nonexistent.

“He nonetheless has the remainder of the season to get via, wholesome hopefully, and the posting system,” Senga stated. “I feel as soon as that goes via, the group would possibly ask me and [Yamamoto] would possibly ask me as effectively, and I wish to communicate to each of them.”

Mets normal supervisor Billy Eppler — who has traveled to Japan this 12 months to look at Yamamoto, amongst others, in response to sources — helped carry Shohei Ohtani to Southern California throughout his tenure as Angels GM and likewise signed Senga final winter. That have can solely assist the Mets in the event that they pursue Yamamoto.

“It’s very obvious that Billy pays consideration to the tradition of Japan and is aware of learn how to work together with Japanese individuals effectively,” Senga stated. “I felt that first-handedly and his presentation abilities are wonderful, so I feel that might work within the Mets’ favor.”

What would Senga inform Yamamoto in regards to the transition to MLB?

“I’ve performed on just one group and I solely know what issues are like with the Mets and I can fill him in on that facet,” Senga stated. “However I do know there’s a distinction between Japan and right here, no matter what group you go to and no matter he asks me I wish to level him in the appropriate path.”

Senga’s studying curve has included adjusting to the U.S. mound and bigger baseball, in addition to pitching in a five-man rotation as an alternative of a six-man (although Mets officers helped with that transition by giving him further relaxation between most of his begins).

One factor of which Senga is definite: Yamamoto would have a simple time becoming in with the Mets.

“All people on the group is such an excellent teammate,” he stated. “I personally am not a really fluent English speaker, however everybody welcomed me with open arms and tries to speak and I feel that will be the identical with every other Japanese participant if he got here to the Mets. I feel he could be an excellent match and the entire group would welcome him.”