Kodai Senga Will Be on His Last Chance With Mets Between Now and the Trade Deadline

The former All-Star pitcher is on thin ice ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) walks to the dugout after pitching against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Mets have a massive Kodai Senga problem to solve between now and the MLB trade deadline on August 3. The 33-year-old right-handed pitcher, who was an All-Star and contender for Rookie of the Year in the National League in 2023, has looked like a shell of himself this season.

That’s the last thing you want to hear or see if you’re the Mets’ brass, as it was already going to be tough to move Senga because of his contract. Senga has a 10-team no-trade clause built into his deal between 2026-28, and is set to make $15 million in 2027 with a conditional club option in 2028, per Spotrac.

And not to mention, Senga’s performance on the mound this season has been putrid, sporting a 0-7 record and 8.85 ERA across 12 appearances (seven starts). Simply put, Senga’s trade value is on a downward spiral, and it leaves the Mets in a tough position in the weeks leading up to the deadline.

Do they trade him for pennies on the dollar, if they can find a suitor? Or do the Mets take the DFA route, which some in the fanbase want David Stearns to do? Then there’s the option of keeping Senga on the team and seeing if you can salvage anything from this season and revisit a trade in the offseason.

However, one thing we do know for sure is that Senga is running out of chances and time with the Mets.

Kodai Senga is firmly on thin ice ahead of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline

For those who may have forgotten, Senga started the 2026 campaign in the starting rotation, but he struggled in his first five starts, pitching to the tune of a 9.00 ERA. Things continued to get worse for the veteran pitcher, as he found himself on the IL at the end of April with lumbar spine inflammation.

Senga eventually returned to the big league club in mid-June, where he made two starts and got blasted (12.91 ERA, 11 earned runs and four home runs allowed in 7.2 innings). At that point, you had to wonder if New York should've pulled the plug on him before he got back on a major league mound.

From there, the Mets had no other choice but to demote Senga to the bullpen in hopes of getting him on track.

New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) reacts after pitching the top of the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his first four relief appearances, Senga produced a 5.50 ERA and only surrendered 11 hits, seven earned runs (three home runs), five walks, and struck out 13 across 11.2 innings. While it wasn't great, it was an improvement from what he did as a starter.

However, things unraveled for the former All-Star hurler in his latest bullpen appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. They roughed up Senga, who was tagged with three hits, three walks, two earned runs, and only picked up two strikeouts in 1.1 innings after coming in for Sean Manaea. Philadelphia’s hitters also had a .600 BAbip against Senga, further illustrating his struggles on the mound.

Needless to say, Mets fans are over the Senga experience, as what was once a promising start to his New York tenure has become hard to watch over the last couple of seasons due to poor play and injuries.

At this point, the Mets don’t have many options left on the table with Senga, who is on thin ice. They can hope he can turn it around ahead of the trade deadline to show that he’s worth keeping around. But with how this season has gone for Senga, it's more likely that this downward spiral will continue.