Mets have very fun Kodai Senga question to answer this season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Mets are in the middle of a disastrous 2026 season. They sold at the MLB trade deadline, and they're going to finish near the bottom of the league in the standings come the season's end.
But there have been some positive takeaways lately about the team, and it's not just the young players like Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing showing out. It's about Kodai Senga of all players.
After looking like a disaster early this season, Senga has potentially found his new role on the roster as a closer. But can he stick there long-term? That's the question Bill Ladson of MLB.com proposed as the big question for the Mets this season, and it's a fun one.
Mets have fun Kodai Senga closer question to answer"Will Kodai Senga hold down the closer role?" Ladson writes. "The Mets have yet to announce that Senga is the closer, but interim manager Andy Green hopes that pitching the final frame of a game becomes a regular occurrence for the right-hander."
Looking at Senga's season-long statistics, it's clear he's been one of the least-valuable players in Major League Baseball. He has a 7.82 ERA with -1.5 bWAR for the year. That's third-worst in baseball, with only Michael Lorenzen and Zac Gallen worse.
But since becoming the Mets' closer in August, Senga's turned his season around dramatically. The Mets are 6-0 when he pitches this month, and he has four saves with a 1.50 ERA and seven strikeouts in six appearances.
Only one of his outings in August wasn't as the ninth inning, as he came in the seventh for an easy 1-2-3, two-strikeout inning against the Cleveland Guardians in a 13-6 win.
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After such promising production as the closer for the Mets, it's now fair to wonder whether the Mets and Senga will keep him there.
Devin Williams would normally hold this role, but he's hurt right now, and that's allowed Senga to potentially find his new long-term role on this team.
The 33-year-old All-Star is under contract through the 2027 season with a 2028 club option on a five-year, $75 million deal. He's not cheap, especially if he sticks at closer.
But, considering how poor his production was as a starter or middle reliever this season, keeping him in this closer role might be what's best for him going forward.
If nothing else, seeing Senga pitch at a high level again this season is exactly what the Mets wanted to see, as he's proven there's still upside with his game worth getting excited about. It just might now be at the end of games instead of at the start of them.
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