Kodai Senga was supposed to be an ace at the front of the New York Mets‘ pitching rotation.
Instead, he’s finishing out the 2026 season as the ace at the back of their bullpen, the closer.
The Mets opted midway through this season not to force Senga into long starting outings any longer and instead have him be a bullpen arm. And coming out of the ‘pen, Senga’s stuff has played up in a way that has made him mostly dominant.
That’s a good sign, to be sure, but it raises questions about the future. It’s worth understanding both that Senga has indeed been really good out of the bullpen, but also that it makes his future role with the Mets a bit more confusing.
Kodai Senga’s Closer Stats
Senga became the Mets’ closer on August 10. Since then, he has pitched 8.1 innings and been a perfect 5-for-5 on save opportunities.
The right-hander with a nasty pitch arsenal has struck out 10 batters in those 8.1 innings.
He did allow a run in a tie game at the White Sox on August 23, but he’s been otherwise pretty much spotless:
Kodai Senga since becoming the Mets’ closer on August 10th:
8.1 IP | 10 K | 193 ERA+ | 5/5 SV
The Mets may have unlocked a new Senga š pic.twitter.com/uRLB4utzvv
ā Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 1, 2026
Of course, these haven’t been the most stressful outings ever. The Mets are just playing out the season with no hopes of making the playoffs, so while Senga is experiencing the adrenaline rush of being a closer, he also isn’t being asked to pitch in games that could decide postseason spots.
Kodai Senga’s Contract Future
When Senga signed with the Mets before the 2023 season, it was on a five-year, $75 million contract.
Early on, that looked brilliant. He had a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts in the 2023 season when he was an All-Star.
Senga made just one start before missing the rest of the 2024 season with an injury.
In 2025, he was great early, but he struggled down the stretch enough that he actually was sent down to Triple-A Syracuse late in the year.
His 2026 has been so bumpy that even with his bullpen success, his season ERA is still at 7.36.
Senga is under contract for $15 million in the 2027 season, but will that make him a highly paid closer or a starter that the Mets will try to revive once again?
He’s also got a conditional option for the 2028 season, but it would require a serious right-elbow injury, like Tommy John Surgery, to vest. His season-ending ailment in 2024 was a combination of a shoulder problem and a calf strain, which were not part of that contract language.
Regardless, it’ll be fascinating to watch going forward. Can Senga look a bit like an ace and help the Mets rise back toward prominence? Will he stay in the bullpen and try to get big outs there for New York? Either way, Senga’s future will have at least some bearing on where the Mets might be able to go from here.
Mets’ Kodai Senga Change Sets Up Future Excitement, Questions