Here’s the latest Mets free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason…
Nov. 30, 2:44 p.m.
Kodai Senga, who has had his name come up in trade talks this offseason, has recently informed the Mets that he would prefer to stay with the ballclub, according to a report Sunday from The Athletic’s Will Sammon.
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Earlier in November, SNY’s MLB Insider Andy Martino said there was “interest” in the right-hander “around the league right now because of his upside and because of what we’ve seen when he’s at his best.”
“There’s certainly a rational line of thinking that would point to a change of scenery after the last two years being the best for player and team,” Martino said on Mets Hot Stove on Nov. 19. “It is not a definite he’s going to be traded, but there’s going to be so many moving parts coming into the Mets’ rotation, they hope and they plan, that Kodai Senga leaving could be a part of the overall overhaul, and I don’t think there’s going to be a problem finding a trade.”
Senga is coming off an uneven season with the Mets, pitching to a 1.39 ERA in his first 14 outings over 77.2 innings, with 74 strikeouts to 33 walks, only to post a 6.56 ERA in his next eight outings over 35.2 innings with 35 strikeouts to 22 walks. That second-half swoon, which came after missing time with a hamstring strain, saw him demoted to Triple-A for the season’s final weeks.
Nov. 29, 11:30 p.m.
The Phillies certainly would love to retain Kyle Schwarber in free agency this offseason, however, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com the two sides are currently not close on a deal.
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Unsurprisingly, Zolecki notes that Schwarber’s agents are looking to capitalize on his stellar campaign in which he only finished behind Shohei Ohtani in NL MVP voting.
The expectation is that the 32-year-old will ultimately land back in the City of Brotherly Love, but we’ll see how things play out.
The Pirates, Reds, and Red Sox are among teams who have reportedly shown interest in Schwarber.
Nov. 29, 3:30 p.m.
Former Mets reliever Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles are in agreement on a two-year contract, pending a physical, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The deal has an opt-out after the first season.
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Helsley will be the Orioles’ ninth-inning option despite the right-hander fielding interest from numerous teams this offseason to be converted into a starter.
After six and a half seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, the 31-year-old was traded to New York at last season’s trade deadline to help fortify the Mets’ bullpen. A closer for the Cards who got to New York with a 3.00 ERA and 21 saves, Helsley was slotted as the Mets’ setup man in front of Edwin Diaz.
However, his time in New York did not go well, pitching to a 7.20 ERA in 22 games and ultimately losing the eighth inning job.
Still, in 297 career games Helsley owns a 2.96 ERA and 105 saves.
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Nov. 26, 7:45 p.m.
While the Mets look to re-sign Edwin Diaz this winter, the team is reportedly checking in on other back-end bullpen pieces.
According to the NY Post, the Mets have talked with representatives for Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks.
Suarez, of course, was the Padres’ closer the last two seasons, including a 40-save effort in 2025. He’s a back-to-back All-Star and pitched to a 2.97 ERA across 70 appearances this past season.
Fairbanks pitched to a 2.83 ERA and converted 27 saves in 61 games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025.
Nov. 26, 6:25 p.m.
The Mets have one less potential starting pitching target on the board after Dylan Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to multiple reports.
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Cease is coming off a relatively down year, pitching to an 8-12 record and a 4.55 ERA across 32 starts. His strikeout rate was still very high (11.5) but the right-hander will look to help Toronto get back to the World Series.
As for the Mets, there are still plenty of free agent and trade targets for the team to target. While Framber Valdez doesn’t seem to be on their radar, Michael King, Ranger Suarez and Japanese star Tatsuya Imai are still available.
Nov. 20, 5:53 p.m.
While the Mets are undoubtedly looking to rebuild their starting rotation, it doesn’t seem like free agent Framber Valdez is near the top of their wish list.
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Appearing on Wednesday’s Mets Hot Stove, SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reported that the Mets were not among the teams that met with the southpaw at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas.
Martino notes that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns prefers to develop his own ace-level pitchers in-house and does not typically spend huge money for top-of-the-rotation starters, though Stearns could be flexible on that point. At 32, Valdez is likely looking for a lucrative multiyear contract.
Valdez is a two-time All-Star with the Astros and has pitched to a career 3.36 ERA, but he also seemed to intentionally cross up his catcher in September to hit him with a pitch, which raised some red flags.
Nov. 10, 4:26 p.m.
While the Mets are expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of starting pitching this offseason, one of their current rotation arms is already receiving some outside interest.
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According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, right-hander Kodai Senga is considered a buy-low trade target among some teams, although it’s unclear if the Mets are legitimately open to moving him.
The report also notes that Senga’s contract no longer includes a full no-trade clause — he can now block deals to only 10 clubs.
The 2025 season was a confounding tale of two halves for Senga, who resembled an ace for the Mets through June and ultimately lost a big-league roster spot by September. In between his peaks and valleys was a summer hamstring injury that required rehab starts and caused mechanical headaches.
Still, he posted a solid 3.02 ERA with 109 strikeouts across 22 outings (113.1 innings).
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There’s reason to believe that Senga can re-channel that Cy Young-caliber version of himself, and his contract is by no means an albatross to the reported suitors. The 32-year-old is set to make just $28 million combined over the next two seasons, with a club option for 2028.
Since joining the majors from Japan in 2023, Senga owns a career 3.00 ERA with 209 strikeouts over 52 starts (285 innings). He also placed top 10 in NL Cy Young voting as a Rookie of the Year runner-up.