The Kodai Senga Whisperer? Mets’ new assistant to Coach strikes him with cornerstone

MIAMI – Kodai Senga is a perfectionist who likes to elaborate the knots by launching. Sometimes, it can exaggerate. In addition, he wants a certain amount of time one against one from a launch coach. Add the need for an interpreter and conversations after a session of Bullpent with Senga can easily overcome the average length of this chat with other launchers.

The launch coach of New York Mets Jeremy Hefner has not always been able to spend such long time with Senga, Especially last year. It was not Hefner’s fault. In general, launch coaches are pulled in different directions. On a daily basis, a dozen launchers are looking for a guide, a manager needs updates and a front office wants input.

During the winter, the Mets took Desi Druschel away from the Yankees of New York as a launch coach assistant. Having an assistant allows Mets to further share the information in continuous evolution with their launchers. The presence of Druschel also removes some responsibilities from Hefner.

In the spring training, Senga has become a great beneficiary of the expanded staff.

Senga and Druschel have started to develop a positive relationship for players. Druschel dedicated time to Senga, talking a lot with him after launching sessions, listening to the preferences and shared the information. As a Mets person said, if Senga had a ball in his hand, Druschel seemed to be there. Even more important, Druschel has assumed the role of Senga’s workload monitoring.

For the career of Kodai Senga:

It was in 1st inning: 4.65
It was in all other inning: 2.60

– Will Sammon (@willsammon) April 1, 2025

After losing almost all over the season, Senga made his debut on Tuesday in the 4-2 defeat of the Mets against the Marlin. In five inning (77 shots), it allowed four runs (two earned), three shots and a walk. Senga recorded eight Strikeouts, 16 Swings-and-Misses. The five inning combined his total since his solitary beginning last season. In 2024, shoulder lesions and veal, as well as mechanical problems, interrupted its season.

For Mets, Senga finished spring training in an ideal way: he hit 97 Mphs in his final melody (a simulated game) and reached five inning, 75 shots. From the point of view of some mets, Senga may not have arrived there without Druschel.

“Desi, almost all merit should go to him,” said Hefner.

After his start of Tuesday, Senga said through the interpreter Hiro Fujiwara: “Part of the reason they are able to be here healthy and because I have been able to launch today is partly thanks to him”.

Mets did not enter spring training taking into account the specific installation. The situation took place organically.

One day in February, Hefner saw Druschel interact with Senga and Fujiwara, the interpreter. Hefner thought it was fine. In the next two days more positive interactions have occurred. At that point, Hefner said he thought of himself: “He should simply continue to do so.”

Hefner still supervises the situation. But in Druschel, Hefner said he saw someone capable of making sena responsible, offering suggestions on the workload and saying to Senga when enough is enough about his volume on a certain day.

Senga’s workload monitoring is an important job. His health is fundamental for the success of Mets. And it comes from a different culture, which means that his idea of ​​day work can differ from the average launcher. Senga, 32 years old, is used to launching a lot. Has grown like a Development player in Japan; Those launchers regularly launch long bullpen sessions.

Druschel spots before a game and often brings a tripod or is watching a tablet. Druschel said he tried to transmit the “Principles” workload to Senga and help them adapt them to a picture that Senga is used to.

“It was very receptive to it,” said Druschel. “David Stearns talks about it, the whole organization is about it and it is something I am: based on evidence. This is what I am trying to provide. It is:” Hey, this is some tests about why I suggest it, “or because it has worked in the past for others”.

Druschel has never worked with a launcher from Japan. Mets launchers say that Druschel is simple with messages and uses information to get points. Senga is also particular on certain things, in particular its delivery and its mechanics. Often he chases some forms of fast ball in the launch sessions, which always want to be perfect.

“Desi is very oriented towards data, which I appreciate,” Senga said. “When I don’t feel very well, I tend to launch much more. And it’s there to stop me.”

Druschel and Senga now feel comfortable adding humor to their exchanges, even if the jokes do not always land well due to a linguistic barrier. Druschel started talking more with Senga even when Fujiwara is not nearby.

“Things happen organically,” said Druschel. “Seriously towards certain people. Players gravitate towards certain coaches. We gravitated one towards the other. The fun part is that it has a really strong will. And one of my attributes is that I present myself every day. I continue to return.”

Druschel added with strong laughter, “Is it almost like, who could wear each other?”

Whatever works, right?

“I don’t have an ego in this,” said Hefner. “If you answer Desi better, then let’s go. Because we will get a better sena. That’s the goal.”

On Tuesday, with his fourth shot, Senga has allowed two points out of kind concession of a double and a two -shooting house race. He said he was raised to return to a mound and those feelings contributed to his lack of results in the first inning. He settled from there, though. Senga considered the beginning “not exceptional, but not bad”. From here, the mets worry more about the way Senga feels. They will know that he feels good once he starts to recover well, maintains the intensity and avoids fixing himself on the attempt to repair every little thing or fasten too much among the beginnings.

“If we could overcome these first six weeks and it is healthy, I don’t care much about performance – I just want to feel good,” said Hefner. “As long as you feel good in mid -June, we will really have an excellent pitcher.”

With Senga, there is still a long way to go. Mets worked carefully. Arriving and overcome – its first exit in good shape qualifies as an encouraging start. But the mets want it healthy throughout the season. Yes, they are falling in two appetizers through what could be the first two months of the season. Frankie Montas is out with a lat injury. And Sean Manaea had a setback during his rehabilitation from an oblique injury, so he was closed by the launch for two weeks. Mets do not boast a real ace, unless Senga is launched as in 2023, when he had a 2.98 in 29 departures. Because there is a possibility, for the first time you must continue to be available for the first time.

This is where Druschel comes into play.

“I hope that at some point of the season I will be able to joke with him and say: ‘Hey, I no longer need you – I understood this’,” said Senga. “But the reason I am here is because of him. It is very help.”

(Photo by Kodai Senga: Rich Storry / Getty Images)