Kodai Senga may have role on New York Mets after all

One of the bigger questions surrounding the New York Mets this offseason involved pitcher Kodai Senga.

ESPN's Jeff Passan had reported in November that Senga was "extremely available" in trade talks. Despite that report, there were few, if any, rumors of another team being interested in his services. Senga, for his part, was clear that he preferred to remain with the Mets going forward.

Senga may get his wish. President of baseball operations David Stearns said in a sit-down chat with team reporter Andy Martino that he expects Senga to be in the rotation in 2026.

Kodai Senga biggest wild card for New York Mets in 2026

Senga burst onto the major league scene in 2023. He was dominant in his 166.1 innings, posting a 2.98 ERA and a 1.220 WHiP while striking out 202 batters with 77 walks. Senga was named to the All-Star Game, finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting and received down-ballot Cy Young votes.

After making just one appearance in 2024 due to injury, Senga picked up where he left off at the beginning of 2025. He had a 1.47 ERA and a 1.113 WHiP over his first 73.2 innings, striking out 70 batters with 31 walks. Everything fell apart after Senga missed time with a strained calf as he was unable to return to form. He posted a 5.90 ERA and a 1.689 WHiP over his final 39.2 innings, issuing 24 walks with 39 strikeouts. That performance led to Senga being demoted to Triple-A for the remainder of the season.

Stearns said Senga is completely healthy again and should be ready to go in spring training. If so, he could give the Mets another top-of-the-rotation starter to pair with newly acquired ace Freddy Peralta. It may be a matter of keeping Senga healthy, something that may be easier said than done.