Don’t be scared, Mets fans.
It’s just one of the off-speed options in Kodai Senga’s arsenal.
The recently signed Mets pitcher, along with a few of his new teammates, starred in a commercial the team bought and had aired in local markets during Super Bowl 2023 to promote season ticket sales for next season.
The commercial aired just prior to the Fox broadcast returning for the first play of the second quarter. Tied at 7, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts subsequently opened the quarter with a 45-yard touchdown pass to star receiver A.J. Brown to give Philadelphia a 14-7 lead after the ensuing extra point. The Eagles ultimately lost 38-35 in a thriller.
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A myriad of Mets stars, including Francisco Lindor, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo and Tomas Nido pretended to be ticket representatives on the phone with potential buyers. Midway through the commercial, Nido has a client on hold while he speaks with Senga on FaceTime. Senga explains that his “ghost fork” — the unique pitch he became known for while starring in Japan — should not be feared.
“My ghost fork is just a pitch,” Senga tells Nido. “It’s not a real ghost.”
Kodai Senga doesn’t want fans to fear his pitch. Screengrab/Twitter @MetsAs Nido repeats to the customer that “it’s not a real ghost,” Senga yells again in the background “it’s not [a] ghost!”
The 30-year-old Senga signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Mets after enjoying large success in Japan.
To start the ad, Nimmo, who signed an eight-year, $162 million deal to remain with the team this offseason, sprinted to answer a call, a play on his trademark sprinting to first base after a walk. Lindor tells a customer “you can see my hair from” section 139.
To finish the commercial, star closer Edwin Diaz, who signed a record-breaking 5-year, $102 million deal to stay with the team this offseason, acted the part by securing a deal with a customer and uttering “Yes! The Closer,” while celebrating.
