The Boston Red Sox could be targeting pitching this offseason, and Jeff Passan recently revealed that New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga is expected to be dealt.
“He is extremely available, and multiple executives expect him to be traded this winter as the Mets look to overhaul their rotation,” Passan wrote on Tuesday.
Senga was an All-Star in his first season in Major League Baseball. In 2023, he made 29 starts and posted a 2.89 ERA with 202 strikeouts. In 2024, he dealt with injuries, pitching in just one regular-season game. He did, however, make a return for the postseason. Last season, Senga was off to a great start, but his season was derailed when he suffered a hamstring injury in June.
Before his injury, Senga had a league-leading 1.47 ERA in 13 starts. He missed about a month, but was not the same upon his return. He had a 4.73 ERA in his next 11 starts, and the Mets eventually sent him to Triple-A to figure things out.
Injuries have been the tale of Senga’s MLB career so far, but when he’s healthy, he has proven to be a star. Craig Breslow noted his desire to add a frontline starter earlier this offseason, and Senga is a high-risk, high-reward option.
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He signed a five-year, $75 million deal when the Mets got him from the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball. He is owed $30 million over the next two seasons and has a $15 million conditional club option for 2028.
The option only kicks in if he has Tommy John or a right elbow injury that keeps him on the injured list for more than 130 days. If Senga can stay healthy, his contract begins to look like a bargain.
The Mets are shockingly looking to trade him, and the Red Sox could jump on the opportunity. There are other pitchers available on the market, but Senga is an All-Star whose team is seemingly desperate to move him.
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