Kodai Senga Bio
Kodai Senga is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on January 30, 1993, in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, he stands 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 202 pounds, throwing right-handed. He is a three-time Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) All-Star and a one-time MLB All-Star, and he represents Japan in international competition.
Senga rose to stardom with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of NPB’s Pacific League before signing a five-year, $75 million contract with the New York Mets in December 2022. He is widely recognized for a deceptive forkball nicknamed the “ghost fork” in Japan.
Early Life and Background
Kodai Senga was born in Gamagori, a coastal city in Aichi Prefecture, where he first picked up rubber-ball baseball as a young child. Through middle school, he played third baseman and developed a strong throwing arm that would later define his professional career. The manager of the baseball club at Gamagori High School recognized that Senga’s arm strength was better suited to pitching, and Senga converted to the mound as a high schooler.
Although Senga and his high school team never reached the prestigious Koshien stages of the Japanese High School Baseball Championship or the Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament, his talent did not go unnoticed. The owner of a sporting goods store in Nagoya recommended Senga to Kazuo Ogawa, then the scout manager of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, paving the way for his professional career.
Path to Professional Baseball
On October 28, 2010, Senga was drafted as a developmental player by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the 2010 NPB draft. From 2011 through mid-2012, he honed his craft in informal matches against Shikoku Island League Plus teams and other amateur clubs, while also pitching in the Western League of NPB’s second league. On April 23, 2012, he signed a 4.4 million yen contract with the Hawks as a registered player under control.
Senga made his NPB debut on April 30, 2012, starting against the Chiba Lotte Marines in the Pacific League. He pitched only two games in his rookie year, but his progression from developmental prospect to registered player marked the start of a steady climb toward becoming one of Japan’s most dominant starters.
Kodai Senga Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
Senga earned his first NPB win in relief against the Saitama Seibu Lions on May 12, 2013, and later that season tied the Pacific League record for consecutive no-run innings by a reliever at 34 1/3 frames. He was selected to the 2013 All-Star Game for the first time, although a left flank strain ended his year in September. Across 51 appearances, he posted a 1–4 record, a 2.40 ERA, 17 holds, one save, and 85 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings.
A right shoulder injury limited Senga in 2014, but he rebounded in 2015, when he recorded his first career win as a starting pitcher on August 19 against the Seibu Lions. That October, he helped the Hawks capture the 2015 Japan Series title over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows with relief appearances in Games 3 and 4.
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Breakthrough (2016–2020)
In 2016, Senga transitioned fully into the starting rotation and produced a 12–3 record with a 2.61 ERA and 181 strikeouts over 169 innings, setting an NPB record for most wins by a pitcher originally drafted as a developmental player. He added a second All-Star selection in 2017, going 13–4 with a 2.64 ERA and 151 strikeouts while capturing the Pacific League winning percentage title. In the 2017 Japan Series, he became the first developmental-draft pitcher to start Game 1, leading the Hawks to a championship alongside battery partner Takuya Kai.
The 2018 season saw Senga start his first Opening Day game on March 30 against the Orix Buffaloes and throw his first shutout on August 17, helping the Hawks win a second straight Japan Series title. In 2019, he delivered the second no-hitter in Hawks history on September 6, the franchise’s first since 1943, and earned All-Star, Golden Glove, and Best Nine honors. Senga’s 2020 campaign was his most decorated: he went 11–6 with a 2.16 ERA and 149 strikeouts, leading the Pacific League in wins, ERA, and strikeouts to capture the pitching Triple Crown while winning a fourth consecutive Japan Series championship with the Hawks.
New York Mets Era (2023–Present)
On December 17, 2022, Senga signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the New York Mets and made his MLB debut on April 2, 2023, against the Miami Marlins, earning the win with 5 1/3 innings, one run allowed, and eight strikeouts. On May 17, 2023, he set a Mets franchise record for strikeouts by a Japanese pitcher with 12 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Named to the 2023 National League All-Star team, he finished his rookie year with a 12–7 record, a 2.98 ERA, and 202 strikeouts across 166 1/3 innings, becoming the first Mets rookie since Dwight Gooden to reach 200 strikeouts. He placed second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in NL Cy Young Award voting.
A moderate posterior capsule strain in his throwing shoulder delayed Senga’s 2024 debut until July 26, and a high-grade calf strain in his fifth inning sent him back to the injured list. He was shut down for the remainder of the regular season on September 22, but started Game 1 of the 2024 National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2025, Senga opened the year with a 1.47 ERA across 13 starts, leading the majors before a hamstring injury on June 12 sent him to the injured list. He was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on September 5 after struggling to a 6.56 ERA upon his return.
Driving Style and Strengths
Senga is a right-handed pitcher known for a three-quarters delivery, a fastball that averages nearly 96 mph, and a deceptive forkball that has earned the nickname “ghost fork” in Japan. The pitch is so central to his identity that his glove features a graphic of a ghost holding a pitchfork. He also mixes in a cutter, a slider, and an occasional curveball to keep hitters off balance.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of Senga’s career include throwing the second no-hitter in Hawks history in 2019, leading the Pacific League in wins, ERA, and strikeouts in 2020, and striking out 200 batters in his 2023 MLB rookie season. He also contributed to five Japan Series championships with the Hawks between 2015 and 2020.
Kodai Senga Career Wins
Across NPB and MLB, Senga has compiled a decorated résumé of regular-season wins, Japan Series victories, and postseason heroics. His five Japan Series titles with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and his standout rookie campaign with the Mets highlight a career built on durability and strikeout prowess.
Nippon Professional Baseball Highlights
During his NPB career with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Senga won three Japan Series championships as a starting pitcher in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, contributing to a fourth title as a reliever in 2015. He led the Pacific League in strikeouts in 2019 and 2020, won the Pacific League winning percentage title in 2017, and captured the 2020 pitching Triple Crown. He was named an NPB All-Star in 2013, 2017, and 2019, and earned Mitsui Golden Glove Awards in 2019 and 2020.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Senga’s first MLB victory came on April 2, 2023, against the Miami Marlins. He went on to record 12 wins as a rookie, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in NL Cy Young Award voting while setting a Mets franchise record for strikeouts by a Japanese pitcher. He was named to the 2023 NL All-Star team, replacing Marcus Stroman of the Chicago Cubs.
Kodai Senga Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kodai Senga was raised in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, where he first encountered baseball through the local rubber-ball tradition. His family encouraged his athletic development, and the recommendation of a Nagoya sporting goods store owner ultimately connected him with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ scouting staff.
Personal Life
Senga maintains a relatively private personal life. He is represented internationally by Japan, and he signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the New York Mets that runs through the 2027 season.
2025 Season Performance
Senga’s 2025 campaign began with a flourish, as he opened the year leading the major leagues with a 1.47 ERA across 13 starts and appeared headed for a second career All-Star selection. His performance reaffirmed his status as a frontline starter for the Mets following his injury-shortened 2024 season.
On June 12, 2025, Senga was placed on the 15-day injured list with a hamstring injury suffered during a 4–3 home victory over the Washington Nationals. He struggled to a 6.56 ERA after returning, and the Mets optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse on September 5. Senga remains under contract with the Mets through 2027, and his long-term outlook hinges on regaining the command and velocity that powered his dominant first half.