WATCH: Kodai Senga exits season debut with leg injury as return start goes wrong in seconds

New York Mets star Kodai Senga made his debut in the 2024 season this Friday against the Atlanta Braves. However, his return was short-lived as he was pulled from the game in the sixth inning as he dropped to the ground with an apparent calf injury after a routine pop-up.

The Mets coaches and medical staff came to check on Kondai Senga, and after a bit of discussion, he limped out of the field on his own. His teammates hugged him in the dugout. The Mets later announced that he had suffered a left calf strain.

Kodai was just activated from the 60-day injured list due to a right shoulder capsule strain that saw him miss 102 games.

Before his injury, Senga was having a decent debut start. He had struck out two hitters in the first inning and finished with nine Ks in 5.1 innings. He also gave up two runs on two hits, but with the Mets leading 8-2, he did enough to get the win.

Mets manager addresses Kodai Senga's injury on the field

MLB: Atlanta Braves at New York Mets - Source: Imagn

First-year Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was excited to see ace pitcher Kodai Sengai play for the first time. However, his debut was derailed by a calf strain, which might again keep him out for a significant amount of time.

Before the game, Mendoza stated that Senga has the caliber to be at the top of the major league, but the injuries are holding him back from achieving his true potential. Even though Senga's setback isn't great news for the Mets, Mendoza talked about his outing before he tumbled on the ground due to his calf injury.

Yeah, I mean, you hate to see it, but look, he was pretty impressive. Watching him pitch, the fastball, the command of his pitches, the splitter, he dominated today. And yeah, you hate to see him go down like that, especially after what he's been through the whole year," Mendoza said.

"But people will step up if he's down. But we just gotta wait and see what we're dealing with. But yeah, pretty good game overall, a special night," he added.

Senga had played in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball for 10 years before making his MLB debut in the previous season. Kodai Senga had a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 166.1 innings last season for the Mets.