Kodai Senga is emerging as a wild card in the New York Mets' rotation for 2026, a remarkable turnaround from his status as a prime trade candidate just a year ago. The 32-year-old right-hander has been plagued by injuries in the last two years, appearing in just five regular-season innings in 2024 and suffering a hamstring injury that ended his All-Star-caliber start to the last season. Despite a 1.47 ERA in his first 13 starts of the year, Senga struggled upon his return, posting a 5.90 ERA in his final nine starts before being demoted to the minors in September. However, the Mets' president of baseball operations, David Stearns, is cautiously optimistic about Senga's prospects for 2026, citing his productive and good offseason. A healthy and performing Senga would provide the Mets with another ace-worthy arm, offering significant relief to a rotation that has a lot to prove in 2026. The Mets have been linked with two of the top remaining left-handed pitchers on the market, Framber Valdez and Rangers Suarez, but Stearns' priority list still includes adding to the rotation. For more on Kodai Senga and the Mets, visit AMNY.com.
