Kodai Senga's 'ghost fork' dazzles in Mets debut

Senga’s key to success lies within his ability to baffle hitters with his secret pitch: the “ghost fork.”  What exactly is the “ghost fork”? That depends on whom you ask. 

Mets manager Buck Showalter refuses to call it a forkball. Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings chimed in after Sunday’s game in which he went 0-for-2 with one strikeout. 

“It’s tough to pick up,” Stallings said. “He struck me out on a splitter, whatever you want to call it.” 

Whatever you do want to call it, it is nasty, and it is quickly grabbing the attention of the baseball world. 

Senga embraced the allure of the ghost fork by rocking this sweet glove in his MLB debut.

Expectations are high for the 30-year-old Japanese standout after signing a five-year, $75M contract with the Mets this offseason. In 11 seasons with the Fukuoka Hawks of the NPB, Senga compiled a record of 87-44 with a 2.59 ERA and a 10.3 K/9. Throughout his 11-year run of dominance in the NPB, Senga took home many awards, including the 2020 Triple Crown in which he led the Pacific League in wins, ERA and strikeouts.

If living up to elevated expectations in the most critical and scathing sports markets in America is not enough pressure, Senga has the weight of future Japanese-born pitchers riding on his shoulders.

Senga is the next up in a long line of Japanese-born pitchers to successfully bring a wrinkle into the art of pitching in Major League Baseball. He follows trailblazers Hideo Nomo, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Yu Darvish and Shohei Ohtani, among others.

Senga has proven that he can be a franchise pitcher. If he continues with the success he has enjoyed thus far, he can become more than just a great pitcher — he can join Ohtani and become an ambassador for baseball in Japan. His first audition was a success, and it will be fun to watch his encores throughout the year.