The New York Mets kept their improbable, remarkable season alive with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. All four runs came on a dagger grand slam by Francisco Lindor as the Mets eliminated the Phillies. New York now moves on to the Championship Series where they’ll face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The NLCS sets up a unique matchup between Mets’ starting pitcher Kodai Senga and the Dodgers’ superstar DH Shohei Ohtani. It will mark the first time the two Japanese-born players face off against each other in the playoffs. But if you think that means Senga is up for answering a bunch of Ohtani-related questions, think again!

Prior to the start of the NLCS on Sunday, reporters asked Senga how excited fans in Japan are for the matchup. The second-year hurler simply responded, “I’m not in Japan, so I’m not sure,” according to SNY on X.

Undeterred, the same reporter asked how Senga would approach pitching to Ohtani. “I don’t think any pitcher would reveal how we’re going to approach an opposing hitter at this point,” he replied through a translator, via SNY.

Kodai Senga is focused on starting the NLCS for the Mets

Oct 5, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning in game one of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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The Mets snuck into the playoffs with the National League’s sixth seed. New York embarked on an epic 16-game road trip in which the team clinched a postseason berth during a makeup double header the day after the regular season ended. After toppling the Milwaukee Brewers and the Phillies, New York is moving on to the Dodgers. And the Mets will send Senga out to start Game 1 of the NLCS.

The Mets landed Senga on a five-year, $75 million deal prior to the 2023 season. He was excellent in his first year in the majors, going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA, 10.9 K/9 and an ERA+ of 140 in 29 starts for New York. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in the Cy Young race.

Unfortunately, Senga’s sophomore season was an injury plagued mess. A shoulder ailment pushed his 2024 debut back to July 26. And, despite looking good in his first appearance, a calf injury kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season. The Mets anticipated their ace returning for the playoffs and Senga was open to working out of the bullpen if necessary.

While he didn’t pitch in the Mets’ Wild Card Series win over the Brewers, the team gave him the ball for Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies. Now Senga will once again start a postseason series for New York. This time facing Ohtani and the star-studded Dodgers.