3 Kodai Senga statistics putting him in the thick of the NL Cy Young race

Kodai Senga isn’t just having a good year. He’s now having a season worthy of the Cy Young award. The New York Mets landed a gem by signing him in the offseason. A masterful start versus the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday furthered his case even more in the race to win the honor.

And these three numbers prove he’s right there with the rest of the contenders.

NY Mets pitcher Kodai Senga has the third-best ERA at 2.95

ERA might not carry as much weight as it used to in the eyes of some fans and award voters. However, it’s still important. What better way to determine how efficient a pitcher is at preventing runs from scoring? A pitcher can have 20 wins and do it on the backs of their offense. ERA is different.

Senga’s 2.95 ERA trails only Blake Snell and Justin Steele in the National League.

NY Mets pitcher Kodai Senga has the fourth-best batting average against at .205

Batting average against is generally not looked at too heavily like ERA. It’s a bit ironic because we look so much at what a batter’s average is yet often overlook what a pitcher is allowing here. Senga is among the best in this category with a .205 batting average against him.

Leading the way is Snell followed by Corbin Burnes and Milwaukee Brewers teammate Freddy Peralta.

NY Mets pitcher Kodai Senga has the fourth-most strikeouts per 9 innings at 11.07

Spencer Strider is discussed as a Cy Young candidate, but it’s tough to take him as seriously with his inflated ERA far closer to 4.00 than 3.00. Several of the top contenders for the Cy Young have a high strikeout per nine rate, including Senga who is at 11.07 per 9 after his most recent performance.

Strider, Snell, and Peralta are the three National League pitchers ahead of him here.

Before anyone wants to dismiss Senga’s case for the Cy Young because of the walks, check out who leads the league. It’s Snell, the same guy who has a major league-best ERA.

Will Senga come away with the Cy Young? A few more brilliant outings and maybe a shelling against his peers in the race could help inch him forward.