MLB fans react to New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga's latest Instagram post: "He hasn’t pitched in MLB yet and I love him already"

Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga immediately endeared himself to the New York Mets faithful when he gave his introductory speech in English. The 29-year-old made the effort to write out a short and concise speech before his first press conference for the Mets.

The Mets signed Senga to a five-year, $75 million contract earlier this month. Settling in a new country is never easy, but Senga has started on the right foot with the New Yorkers.

A piece of paper with his speech was recently released on Twitter and seemed to strike a chord with baseball fans everywhere. MLB fans are yet to see Senga throw a pitch in the majors and they already love him.

Kodai Senga waited longer than other Japanese players to join the MLB but he has an excellent reputation in Japan. He had an overall record of 104-52 over an 11-year career with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. During that spell, he finished with a phenomenal 2.42 ERA.

The starting pitcher also represented Japan in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, where he was selected to the All-Tournament team.

Kodai Senga had a 104-52 win-loss record and a 2.42 ERA with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks

Pitcher Kohdai Senga reacts after the during the World Baseball Classic game between Israel and Japan at the Tokyo Dome

The New York Mets have assembled one of the best pitching rotations in the MLB. Steven Cohen has invested heavily in the team this offseason and will expect results in 2023. New York invested over $800 million in new player contracts over the past few months.

Cy Young Award winners Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer will lead the line. They will be accompanied by free agent signings Jose Quintana and Carlos Carrasco. Senga will be joining an elite group of established major league pitchers.

The New York Mets will face tough competition in the National League East. The Philadelphia Phillies just won the pennant and the Atlanta Braves won the World Series in 2021.

Kodai Senga will be under great pressure to perform at a high level next year. For now, Mets fans love their latest international signing. He will need to perform on the mound for that affection to continue.