Part 2/12:
Kodai Senga arrived in Major League Baseball as a high-profile acquisition from Japan, signing a five-year, $75 million deal with the Mets under Billy Eppler’s management. His rookie season flashed promise, finishing top three in Rookie of the Year voting and impressing with flashes of frontline starter potential. Fans and analysts saw him as a steal—a relatively affordable pitcher with upside who could anchor the Mets rotation for years to come.