3 Mets players who will take a step forward next year, 2 who won't

Kodai Senga will be even better as a sophomore

Kodai Senga had a fantastic freshman year. Will the sophomore slump come to bite him? Don’t expect it. With his experience playing over in Japan and not being a “true rookie,” his 2023 season was more of a bouncing off point than a time to figure things out.

On the topic of figuring things out, the rest of Major League Baseball will have their work cut out for them trying to figure out Senga. The book on him has been written, but even as the season progressed and teams saw him again, it didn’t do them much good.

Senga’s season included a 12-7 record, 2.98 ERA, and 202 strikeouts. He hit the marks in every which way possible all while adjusting to life in a new country, a different baseball on the mound, and all of those MLB rule changes that were brand new to everyone.

Exactly how good will Senga be in 2024? Fans would accept a repeat. Many will predict an improvement.

The places where Senga can improve are fairly obvious. His control both in walks and his league-leading 14 wild pitches were an issue. Being able to take the mound without any extra rest can benefit the Mets, too, but it should be something they cater to as much as possible.

It’s easy to gush over and get excited about what he can offer the Mets next year. His 2.58 ERA, decrease in the second half is a sign of how much he improved and what the best of 2024 could look more like.