The New York Mets will be shorthanded on the mound to start the season because ace Kodai Senga, out almost all of spring training due to a shoulder strain, only recently was cleared to begin throwing again.
How the evolving starting staff holds up will almost certainly play a major role in New York's chances of getting back to the postseason for the first time since losing the NL wild card game in 2022.
Jose Quintana, a 35-year-old left-hander, missed the first half of last season due to bone graft surgery on his ribcage. After making his return, he had some moments, but was mostly up and down, finishing with just three wins but a serviceable 3.