Kodai Senga on Sun, Jul 19, 2026

Command issues and lefty-split struggles define another short outing

Kodai Senga's outing against the Phillies ended after just 1.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 2 and walking 3. With a season ERA of 8.85 and WHIP of 1.84, this start was very much in line with his struggles all year, extending a pattern of early exits.

Looking at his pitch mix, the forkball was his most-used pitch at 41%, but it produced only a 50% strike rate despite generating 3 whiffs — a sign that while the pitch still has bite, he couldn't consistently land it in the zone. His four-seam fastball, averaging 97.4 mph and thrown 26% of the time, posted a stronger 60% strike rate but zero whiffs, meaning hitters were tracking it well without missing. Three walks on the day reflect the command issues that have plagued him throughout the season. Perhaps most telling is the platoon split: right-handed hitters are batting .232 with an .873 OPS against him this year, while left-handed hitters are batting .329 with a 1.032 OPS. For a right-handed pitcher, that gap is significant and points to a clear vulnerability against lefty bats that opposing lineups can exploit.

Unico's take: regaining precision on the forkball looks like the key to tightening up both his command and his platoon splits going forward.