Kodai Senga surprise, 'ghost fork' cast shadows on Phillies in Game 1

PHILADELPHIA — There were pre-game questions about how well the Phillies and Mets could see pitches early in Saturday's Game 1 of the National League Division Series, the 4 p.m. start time casting shadows across the infield.

But the Mets' late decision to surprisingly start would-be ace Kodai Senga brought the question to a head again Saturday before the series opener. That's because of the rarity Senga has in his arsenal — an actual forkball.

Major league pitching has changed much over the years, and one of the differences is that the pitch Jack Morris – and so many others before him – made famous has gone by the wayside. The forkball is gripped between the fingers in a way that results in a sharper, southbound break.

With the ascension of Mariano Rivera and others in the 1990s, the forkball bowed in popularity to its more modern cousin, the split-fingered fastball. That is thrown harder, can have a variable break and is thought to be much easier on the pitcher's arm.

Senga, 31, didn't join the Mets until last year. Coming out of Japan, where forkball use is much more common, he is really the only established MLB pitcher who is using a true fork to effect. So much so that his pitch has garnered a nickname, the "Ghost Fork."

In spring training, however, Senga developed shoulder issues. He was diagnosed with a right posterior shoulder capsule strain, and wouldn't start his season until late July against Atlanta. He had allowed only two runs to the Braves when, with one out in the sixth inning, he injured a calf muscle coming off the mound to field a grounder.

That fast, Senga was done for the regular season. He's spent recent weeks in Florida, trying to get back for the playoffs, and indeed, there he was in the shadows Saturday, starting Game 1. For a first pitch, he made Kyle Schwarber miss badly. For a third pitch, Schwarber bombed one into the upper deck in right field.

Bryce Harper would walk two batters later, but Senga worked out of that little jam, though was only allowed to pitch two innings. He had 31 pitches, allowed only the Schwarber homer for a hit, struck out three and walked one.

"He's probably the only guy that I've seen have a forkball, per se, right?" Harper said before the game. "I've seen split fingers and things like that, but his is definitely really good. You've got to be smart, hit the ones that are up, and try to let the other ones go that are down."

But when it leaves his hand, is it that much tougher to pick up?

"In the shadows today, probably," Harper said.

Phils manager Rob Thomson thought that, too, but also felt Zack Wheeler's pitches going through the shadows might be a touch intimidating. Thomson began the game with Johan Rojas in center and Brandon Marsh in left.

"Because it's a 4 o'clock (start), there's going to be some shadows early," Thomson said. "So there's a potential that it's going to be tough to score some runs, so I want the best defense available."