Kodai Senga is out to prove he can stay healthy and be a key Mets option

PORT ST. LUCIE — Kodai Senga is still taking the approach he can pitch like an ace for the Mets — even as the organization has pushed him toward a back burner.

“These past two years have been frustrating and tough mentally,” the right-hander said through his interpreter Wednesday on the reporting date for pitchers and catchers to spring training. “At some point maybe I started to lose confidence. But in this world, you either do it or you don’t, and I’m here to do it.”

Senga entered a free fall in the second half of last season — after returning from a stint on the injured list with a hamstring strain — that culminated with him accepting an assignment to Triple-A Syracuse in September.

Kodai Senga works on a fielding drill during Mets’ spring training practice on Feb. 11, 2026 in Port St. Lucie. Corey Sipkin / New York Post

He finished with a 3.02 ERA overall, a testament to a strong first half in which he often resembled an ace.

It followed a year in which Senga pitched only once in the 2024 regular season due to various ailments.

Does Senga have to regain the organization’s trust?

“Before showing the organization anything I think I need to prove it to myself that I can go out there and pitch a full season,” Senga said. “And then once I prove it to myself I think then comes the third party, how everybody else sees me, so first I need to be out there for myself.”

The Mets saw the best of Senga in 2023, when he pitched to a 2.98 ERA over 29 starts with 202 strikeouts over 166 ¹/₃ innings.

But he’s started only 23 games since that rookie season.

Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean have moved ahead of Senga atop the Mets rotation, leaving Senga in a mix that includes Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes and David Peterson.

Mets starter Kodai Senga throws during a team workout on Feb. 11, 2026 in Port St. Lucie. Corey Sipkin / New York Post

As an indicator of how much his stock has fallen, the Mets this offseason entertained trade proposals for Senga, who still has $30 million remaining on his contract over the next two years.

Senga communicated to club officials that he wanted to remain with the Mets.

“I control only what I can control,” Senga said. “At that point I hadn’t gotten traded yet so I just wanted to do whatever I could in the moment and be back out there for the Mets and play hard.”