Kodai Senga expresses willingness to stay with the Mets as the team’s pitching plans attract attention during the offseason.

As the New York Mets face a hectic offseason, the status of 32-year-old Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga is under scrutiny. Will Sammon from The Athletic reports that Senga has indicated to the front office his priority is to stay. This right-hander’s contract includes a limited no-trade clause that prevents moves to 10 designated teams, though the Mets can still negotiate trades with more than half of the other MLB clubs.

Senga experienced fluctuations during the 2025 season, posting an impressive 1.39 ERA over 77.2 innings in the first half, but his ERA ballooned to 6.56 across 35.2 innings in the latter half, leading to a demotion to the minors in early September. This was closely linked to his injury issues in 2024, when he made only one start in July and appeared three times in the postseason. Looking back at his rookie 2023 season, Senga started 29 games with a low 2.98 ERA and finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.

As Sammon noted in his report, some teams see Senga as a potential "buy low, sell high" candidate. However, for the Mets, who endured a disappointing season, the priority is securing a stable and reliable front-end starter. The Mets are also considered contenders for Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, and if the Detroit Tigers decide to trade their top starter Tarik Skubal, the Mets could also enter that pursuit.

Besides Senga, the Mets’ starting rotation includes Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and David Peterson, with Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott also being considered as part of the rotation options.