The New York Mets on Wednesday transferred Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga from the 15- to the 60-day injured list.
The team's most successful starter last year has been sidelined since early spring training due to a right shoulder capsule strain and is not eligible to return from the IL until May 27.
The move is aimed at clearing space on the 40-man roster for reliever Tyler Jay, and the benefit of shifting Senga from the 15- to the 60-day IL is that he will no longer count against the roster limit, according to the Mets' official website.
"From the beginning, we knew it was going to take time," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "With him still throwing flat grounds and things like that -- he hasn't even gotten on a mound -- it's going to be a few weeks before we see him. So that was the move."
In late February, Senga received a PRP injection after an MRI revealed a moderate capsule strain in the back of his shoulder.
The former SoftBank Hawks ace in Japan's Pacific League went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in his first major league season in 2023.
