Dodgers take advantage of Mets' foolish Kodai Senga gambit with hot NLCS Game 1 start

The New York Mets have been playing at a different speed, as a group, since the middle of June. Fueled by gimmicks and maturation concurrently, they've somehow managed to find yet another gear this October, worrying Los Angeles Dodgers fans who were likely hoping for a less chaotic matchup.

But one teammate who hasn't quite been able to reach the same top speed is starting pitcher Kodai Senga, injured in both spring training and again during his July 26 debut.

That's why it came as a great surprise when Senga wasn't only activated out of nowhere for the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, but tabbed to start Game 1. Most casual fans were likely unaware that the Ghost Fork wrangling right-hander was even involved in the conversations, let alone ready and available.

How much could he give? Did it matter? The Mets were willing to accept anything that their All-Star right-hander was able to provide. Perhaps they should've been more discerning.

Senga opened the Mets' previous series with two innings of one-run ball, victimized by a Kyle Schwarber leadoff home run, and left with a tiny-sample-size FIP of 8.17. But, because of the way the Mets qualified and October's schedule, Senga was once again tabbed for Sunday night's opener at Dodger Stadium. His appearance started this series off similarly; 1 1/3 innings, two hits, four walks, and three earned runs before calm, cool and collected Carlos Mendoza pulled the plug.

Dodgers jump on Mets' Kodai Senga early after questionable NLCS Game 1 start

Who should the Mets have gone with instead? Someone who hasn't been on ice since Grimace was just a glint in Citi Field's eye.

While Senga walked the world in the first frame, he also nearly wriggled out of disaster when Mookie Betts oddly held up at third base on a medium-depth Will Smith fly ball to Tyrone Taylor with one out in the first. No matter; Dodgers slugger Max Muncy laced a liner to center, scoring both Betts and a valiant Freddie Freeman, hopping down the baseline.

One additional Shohei Ohtani RBI single in the second later, and the Dodgers' offense had made sure that Senga's signature pitch wasn't the only ghostly thing on the mound.

Let this be a lesson to the Mets: there's a degree of chaos that registers as too much chaos. Not everyone can effectively follow the Dodgers' model of mixing and matching, which has led to 25 scoreless innings and counting this postseason.