The scene was tense at Citi Field after another draining loss. Reporters leaned in, cameras blinked red, and Carlos Mendoza knew the question was coming. Kodai Senga, once hailed as the Mets’ future ace, had just slogged through another rough start, and the silence in the clubhouse said it all. This wasn’t the same pitcher who dazzled last year with a 2.98 ERA and a devastating “ghost fork” that baffled hitters across the league.

Instead, September has brought doubt. The Mets, fighting to hold on in a cutthroat National League Wild Card race, have watched Senga unravel at the worst possible time. His ERA has ballooned to 5.91 over his past nine starts, capped by a five-run outing against Miami that left the bullpen scrambling and the fans restless. Every inning has started to feel heavi

See Full Page