As the New York Mets strive to recover from their disappointing second-half collapse, a roster shakeup seems unavoidable. The Mets’ failure was not due to a lack of expenditure, but rather to an issue with their roster composition.
The starting rotation will undoubtedly receive the greatest attention this winter, as a group that was more hastily assembled than the lineup finally collapsed under the weight of injuries and overwork.
Senga has been inconsistent and injury-prone since the beginning of last year, despite a stellar debut season. According to The Athletic’s source Will Sammon, this might lead to the Mets quickly pulling the plug. On Thursday, Sammon mentioned Senga as a “name that sticks out” in potential Mets trade negotiations this winter.
“Senga moves from a full no-trade clause to a limited one this winter, in which he can block trades to 10 franchises,” Sammon noted in an email. “He’s owed $28 million over the next two seasons, with a conditional club option for $15 million in 2028 should he suffer an elbow injury.” Given the current market for back-end starters in free agency, a Senga deal should be able to return something of value.”
Even if teams are aware of Senga’s potential, selling cheap carries risk. He’s only two years removed from finishing eighth in the Cy Young Award race, and the Mets or any other team would find it easy to stomach the final two years of his $75 million contract if the slide persisted.
If the Mets just want to modify the recipe, severing ways with Senga makes sense. They need starters who are guaranteed to be available every fifth day, and while Senga may be explosive, he is far from dependable.
Keep a look out for Senga trade rumors, since this might indicate that the Mets are ready to test a fresh pitching formula.