For Mets pitcher Kodai Senga, 2025 has been a tale of two halves.

From the start of the season until July 21, Senga went 10–4 with a 1.39 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings. Since then, Senga is 4–4 with a nightmarish 6.56 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings.

As a result, New York announced Friday. that it would option Senga to the Triple A Syracuse Mets. In a corresponding move, the Mets activated catcher Francisco Alvarez from the 10-day injured list.

Senga joined New York for the 2023 season after a decorated career in Japan, and immediately made a splash. Even as the Mets struggled, he went 12–7 with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings. He finished seventh in the National League Cy Young voting and was runner-up for Rookie of the Year.

Injuries abbreviated his 2024 season, but he appeared to return to form to begin ’25. That gradually changed, culminating in his allowance of a season-high five earned runs against the Marlins Sunday.

New York currently occupies the NL’s final wild-card spot, and leads the Giants by four games with 22 left to play this season.