BALTIMORE — The Mets are looking toward a big weekend of starting pitching comebacks.
Kodai Senga is expected to return from the injured list on Friday to face the Royals, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, with Sean Manaea two days behind him.
Manaea struck out five and walked one while allowing three runs on four hits in his final minor league rehab game on Tuesday for Triple-A Syracuse, putting him in line for Sunday in Kansas City.
“I am just ready to get back and help this team win,” Manaea said.
The Mets are planning a piggyback effort on Sunday that would allow Clay Holmes and Manaea to pitch.
Kodai Senga is set to return to the Mets’ rotation. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Otherwise, Holmes — who started Tuesday night in the Mets’ 7-6, 10-inning win over Orioles — would be facing a potential two-week layoff between appearances with the All-Star break approaching and the Mets potentially realigning the pitching order to start the second half.
Holmes is likely to start Sunday, with Manaea behind him, but Mendoza said a final decision hasn’t been reached on the order.
Clay Holmes pitches during the first inning of the Mets’ 7-6
comeback win over the Orioles. Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Senga is returning from a strained right hamstring that has sidelined him since June 13. The lefty Manaea hasn’t pitched for the Mets this season due to an oblique strain and loose body in his left elbow that delayed his rehab.
Sean Manaea is closing in on his return to the Mets’ rotation. AP
Tylor Megill was transferred to the 60-day injured list, meaning his return to the Mets won’t occur before mid-to-late August.
Mendoza said the timeline is consistent with what the Mets expected when Megill hit the IL last month with elbow inflammation.
The Mets selected reliever Alex Carrillo from Triple-A Syracuse, as righty Zach Pop was designated for assignment.
Carrillo, 28, is intriguing to the Mets because of his 100 mph fastball and low arm-slot delivery. He signed with the Mets last winter following a strong showing in Venezuela.
“I remember getting a call from someone I know from Venezuela in winter ball telling me about this guy,” Mendoza said before Carillo allowed one run over 1 ¹/₃ innings in his debut. “I got on the phone with [team brass] and we got him in the organization.”
Carrillo pitched to a 3.24 ERA in 19 appearances for Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse with 40 strikeouts in 25 innings.
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He spent the previous four seasons in the independent leagues.
“He threw the other night, I was like, ‘Where did this guy come from?’ ” said reliever Brooks Raley, who is rehabbing with Syracuse. “ ‘He was in [independent] ball? He got released by a Mexican team?’ I am super pumped for him.”
— Additional reporting by Mark W. Sanchez