CINCINNATI — Two years ago, Kodai Senga was pitching himself into the Rookie of the Year race. Now, he’s headed to the minor leagues. The right-hander allowed the Mets to option him to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday afternoon, ahead of a crucial weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds .

Billed as the staff ace, Senga pitched like one before a June hamstring injury landed him on the injured list. Since then, a sub-2.00 ERA ballooned to nearly 6.00 (5.90) in nine starts. Senga has been plagued by an inability to throw strikes and work efficiently, preventing him from pitching past the fifth inning in most of his outings. The Mets have gone just 5-4 in those games, while Senga has been credited with three losses (0-3).

The club will promote right-handed pitching prospect Brandon Sproat

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