According to The Athletic, New York Mets right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga is “attracting trade interest from multiple teams” heading into the winter months. After his career appeared to be on life support heading into the trade deadline, he saw something of a renaissance in the fall as he became a late-inning reliever down the stretch, and an effective one at that.
Kodai Senga by Roberto Carlo
Senga, who turns 34 in January, underwent a true tale of two seasons in 2026: he moved to the bullpen after a disasterous start to the season in the rotation. In eight starts, he turned in a 0-7 record with a 9.66 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP, with an injured-list stint thrown in there as well.
After his run as the worst starter in baseball, Senga was moved to a long relief role, which did not yield a ton of success either. His run began when the calendar flipped to August; the Mets had traded away half of their bullpen and were in need of a new closer.
From August through the end of the season, Senga posted a 3.78 ERA with eight saves and one blown attempt in nine save opportunities. In these save situations, his ERA dropped to 3.00 with a WHIP of 1.00, a far cry from his abysmal numbers as a starter and lackluster numbers in non-save situations (a 5.66 ERA).
The Mets’ bullpen is in major flux heading into 2027, and Senga could figure into it in a major way, whether as a closer or as a leverage reliever. He and closer Devin Williams are the only two Mets relievers with considerable leverage-relief experience.
After signing a five-year deal with the Mets out of Japan before the 2023 season, Senga has just one year left on his contract before free agency. The team holds a club option for 2028 at $15 million, and Senga conversely holds “limited no-trade power,” per The Athletic.
MLB’s GM Meetings span November 10-12 and will be in Las Vegas.
