If Kodai Senga held sole control over his future — and he does not — he would continue to pitch for the New York Mets.
Senga, a popular starting pitcher in the trade market, recently informed the Mets that he preferred to stay with the club as opposed to getting dealt elsewhere, league sources said.
After experiencing an injury, poor performance and a demotion last season, Senga is said to want to reestablish himself as a top starter in the Mets’ rotation. Senga, who made just one start in 2024 because of injuries, feels an obligation to the organization and its fans. Nevertheless, he also understands the business.
Senga’s sentiments, however well-meaning they seem, do not necessarily change his situation. Despite his preference, the Mets still might trade him. Earlier this month, The Athletic reported Senga was attracting trade interest from multiple teams. Senga, however, has a limited no-trade clause that allows him to block deals to 10 franchises.
Some clubs view Senga, 32, as an interesting buy-low trade candidate, especially considering the context within the pitching market. At least a few clubs aren’t as enamored with this offseason’s free-agent class compared to recent years. Also, the availability of other trade candidates such as the Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Freddy Peralta, among others, remains up in the air.
Relative to the starting pitcher market, Senga’s contract is reasonable — he is owed $28 million combined over the next two seasons with a club option for 2028.
Senga’s performance, however, is tough to project. In three seasons, he boasts a 3.00 ERA and finished in the top-10 for the Cy Young Award as a rookie in 2023. On the other hand, he is particular about his mechanics, is coming off multiple injuries over the past two seasons and had a 6.56 ERA in the second half last season (eight starts). Indeed, the range of outcomes is wide.
The Mets are in the market for a top-of-the-rotation starter, and Senga holds such potential. But after last season, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said it would be foolish to bank on Senga to make 30 starts next season.
The Mets’ rotation projects as something along the lines of Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, David Peterson and Senga, with Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong and Christian Scott lingering as other intriguing candidates.
The Mets are clearly in the market for rotation help. But league sources said at the beginning of the GM Meetings earlier this month that it’s more likely they end up with one addition rather than two, given their crowded group — unless there’s some subtraction.
Senga’s preference to stay is notable, considering the Mets’ personnel changes over his short tenure. Since arriving from Japan, Senga has experienced a managerial change, a front-office leadership change and, most recently, a pitching coach change.
But adding to the rotation would further reduce the Mets’ dependence on Senga — something that was already different compared to how he started the 2025 season as something like a co-No. 1. By the final month of last season, as it competed for a playoff spot, New York asked him to consent to a demotion to the minor leagues. To his credit, Senga obliged the request, pitched for Triple-A Syracuse and then, following his mandatory 15 days in the minors, agreed to stay in Port St. Lucie.