Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images
Mets pitch Kodai Senga will make his first start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.
The New York Mets are heading into the 2026 season with lofty expectations, especially after some of the additions they made to the roster either via MLB free agency or the trade market. The Mets’ starting rotation, which now includes Freddy Peralta, will be under a big microscope.
One of the players who has survived the several trades New York has made this offseason is Kodai Senga. Senga has been the subject of trade rumors, but has yet to be dealt, which may secure his spot on the roster. However, Kodai Senga has to prove himself once again to the Mets fans after dealing with a calf injury in 2025 and poor performance down the stretch. Mets pitchers and catchers reported on Wednesday, so what did Senga have to say about the upcoming season?
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Mets Kodai Senga Wishes to Stay Healthy in 2026
As with just about every MLB player, Kodai Senga’s main wish ahead of the Mets’ upcoming season is to stay healthy.
When speaking with the media on Wednesday, Senga was asked what his goals for the 2026 season are, and elicited this four-word response:
“To not get injured.”
Vincent Carchietta/Getty ImagesMets pitch Kodai Senga will make his first start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.
Easier said than done, obviously, but the Mets coaching staff and front office are probably wishing for the same thing from Senga.
The Mets inked out a five-year, $73 million deal with Senga before he even pitched one inning in MLB, and after his first season (2023), that contract looked to be a steal, but injuries limited him to just two starts in 2024, and Senga did not pitch in September last year.
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Kodai Senga Will Be Counted On In the Mets’ Rotation
Assuming that the Mets don’t trade Kodai Senga, he will be counted on in the Mets’ rotation in 2026.
Freddy Peralta is the ace, and Clay Holmes and David Peterson are the other frontline options. That then leads to arms like Nolan McLean, who appears to have a spot in the rotation, and Kodai Senga as the fourth-fifth options.
Senga still made 22 starts last season and posted a 3.02 ERA over 113.2 innings, but he did not pitch at all in September due to having a very poor August and a lingering calf injury. He gave up 19 earned runs in six starts in August, which led to his demotion to Triple-A Syracuse.
There have also been reports that the Mets want to stretch Tobias Myers (acquired in the Peralta trade) into a starter. This move might put pressure on Senga to perform in the starts he’s given, or he may no longer be in the Mets fold for pitching.
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