Kodai Senga injury news puts a huge damper in good feels around Mets

It may not have been a familiar feeling for the New York Mets, but for the last two months or so, things have gone their way.

They've overtaken the Braves for second place in the NL East while posting the best record in MLB since June 1. They just swept the Yankees. They're on a five game winning streak.

On Friday night, the universe placed a big 'ol speed bump in the way.

Ace pitcher Kodai Senga suffered a calf injury in the top of the sixth inning in a dominant win over the Braves. He was running off the mound and pulled up limping before going down to the grass in pain.

All the crossed fingers, lit candles and prayers on high couldn't spare the Mets from the bad news: Senga suffered a "high grade" left calf strain and he will miss the remainder of the regular season, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.

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Kodai Senga injury update should spur Mets into action at MLB trade deadline

Obviously, this is a huge blow to the Mets' postseason hopes. Senga was an All-Star in his debut season last year, posting a 2.98 ERA and 12-7 record. He was excellent in his first game of the 2024 season on Friday with two earned runs and nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings of action against the Braves.

The optimistic view of this is that the Mets grabbed the top Wild Card spot in the NL without Senga in the rotation. He missed the first half of the season because of a shoulder strain picked up during spring training.

Senga's return was triumphant until it wasn't. It was a reminder that even when things are going well, bad luck can come out of nowhere to dampen the vibes.

For New York, the timing could have been worse. Senga's injury comes with a few days left before the MLB trade deadline. The Mets can get aggressive to find a band-aid for their rotation. Afterall, the Braves and Padres are only half a game behind in the Wild Card race and the Diamondbacks and Cardinals also lurk. One bad week could totally turn a team's fortunes in the wrong direction.