Jun 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Mets' Kodai Senga snubbed in latest MLB poll for NL Cy Young

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Thomas Kelson | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 3:00 PM ET

In MLB.com’s latest Cy Young poll, which surveyed 40 baseball experts, New York Mets ace Kodai Senga was notably left out of the top five favorites to win the National League award.

The pitchers who did make the list included MacKenzie Gore of the Washington Nationals, Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants, Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies, and the current front-runner, Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Senga’s omission comes as a surprise, especially considering his dominant performance this season, anchored by a league-best 1.59 ERA.

One of the biggest factors behind the Mets’ success this season has been the 32-year-old's return to the mound. Dating back to 2023, Senga has made 27 straight starts allowing three earned runs or fewer, marking the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history.

Most Consecutive Starts of 3 ER or Fewer Allowed,#Mets History:

Jacob deGrom 40 (2019-2022)
Jacob deGrom 31 (2018-2019)
Dwight Gooden 29 (1984-1985)
Kodai Senga 27 (2023-present) #LGM #LFGM pic.twitter.com/9rCo37SZc4
— Matthew Searle (@searlebaseball) May 26, 2025

The main reasons Senga didn’t receive as much recognition compared to the other top five pitchers are his relatively low inning count and strikeout rate. While these stats are important and certainly factor into evaluations, it’s still puzzling that Senga, who leads the National League with a commanding ERA margin, didn’t even crack the top five.

Senga is also a key part of a Mets pitching staff that boasts the lowest ERA in the National League at 2.85, helping lead the team to an NL-best 42-24 record. His contributions go beyond individual stats, playing a vital role in the team’s overall success this season.

Senga may not rack up strikeouts or innings like others, but his results speak for themselves. Sometimes, dominance isn’t about flashy stats—it’s about shutting down opponents and winning games, and the righty does both better than most.

Kodai Senga has only given up 12 earned runs over his 12 starts this season pic.twitter.com/rPRE2xGCvw
— MLB (@MLB) June 7, 2025

The good news for Senga is that the season is far from over. With plenty of innings and opportunities ahead, he has all the time he needs to make a strong case and win over voters around the league.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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