Senga set for Friday return
Kodai Senga spent most of last season shining for a team going nowhere, but now will be thrust into a postseason race.
The Mets right-hander threw a bullpen session Tuesday at Yankee Stadium and later said he’s ready for Friday, when he is scheduled for his season debut against the Braves at Citi Field.
“Because the team is in such a great spot, I want to be a productive member of the team and continue to push the team toward the playoffs,” Senga said through his interpreter.
Senga, who began the season on the injured list after he was diagnosed with a right shoulder strain in spring training, had a rough final tune-up Sunday for Triple-A Syracuse but said he wasn’t concerned about the outing, in which he allowed five earned runs, needing 79 pitches over three innings.
“I was definitely working toward something, trying to figure out what I can and cannot do at that point,” Senga said. “But really just trying to understand myself. I think it was really productive.”
➤ The Mets signed former Gold Glove outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Bradley played for Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns with the Brewers.
Bradley, 34, was playing for the independent Long Island Ducks this season.
➤ Sean Reid-Foley faced hitters in live batting practice Monday and will progress to a minor league rehab appearance Thursday with Single-A Brooklyn, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. The righty reliever has been rehabbing a right shoulder impingement for the last month.