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Kodai Senga 2024 Player Outlook: Shoulder Injury Limits Extreme Strikeout Fantasy Upside
12 months agoNew York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (shoulder) turned in an excellent rookie season in 2023. The 30-year-old made 29 starts, going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 29.1% strikeout rate in 166 1/3 innings pitched. However, he is dealing with a mild right shoulder strain and is expected to start 2024 on the injured list. This is a shame, as while he walked too many batters and had a middling batted-ball profile, he possesses some of the highest strikeout skills in baseball. Senga is currently being drafted at about pick 72 overall, but this will fall given the injury news. It is difficult to determine where to draft him without a definitive timeline. A potentially comparable player is Walker Buehler (elbow), who will be eased back into action after recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. Buehler's current ADP is around 128 and Senga possesses a higher ceiling, given that Buehler hasn’t pitched since 2022. As such, a new reasonable draft range for Senga could be between picks 120 and 150, depending on fantasy managers' willingness to take on risk.
