Coming off an injury-ridden 2025 season, Kodai Senga of the New York Mets seems to have his work cut out for him for the upcoming season now that Freddy Peralta is on board.

David Stearns of the New York Mets was recently interviewed by Andy Martino. There, he explained about the role that he wants to see Kodai Senga play on the team this upcoming season.

“I certainly expect Kodai Senga to be a member of our rotation. He’s had a really strong offseason. He actually came over to the States right around the new year. All of our staff got to see him. He looks in great shape, and we’re excited to get him going in spring training.”

Kodai Senga is coming off a mixed 2025 season, but the overall numbers show he was still a productive rotation arm. He finished the year with a 7–6 record, a 3.02 ERA, and logged 113.1 innings across 22 starts, striking out 109 batters with a 1.31 WHIP. In the bigger picture, that level of output still reflects a pitcher capable of performing like a mid-to-upper rotation starter when he’s healthy and in rhythm.

However, after starting the season strongly, his performance dipped after a hamstring injury in July, and the resulting inconsistency ultimately led to a late-season demotion to Triple-A. That being said, Mets GM David Stearns remains confident in the Japanese right-hander, pointing to his strong recovery and offseason progress, even after trade rumors surfaced earlier in the year. Now, with a fresh slate ahead, all eyes will be on how Senga looks once he returns to game action this spring.

MLB Spring Training 2026 officially begins on Friday, February 20, with games taking place in both Arizona (Cactus League) and Florida (Grapefruit League), before the full Spring Training schedule gets underway on Saturday, February 21.

The opening day of MLB Spring Training will feature a limited slate of matchups, including four Cactus League contests and one Grapefruit League game, along with a pair of exhibition games between Major League clubs and college teams.

From there, the schedule quickly builds momentum, as fans will also get a look at MLB’s future stars during the Spring Breakout showcase from March 19–22, while early March will include exhibition games against World Baseball Classic national teams ahead of the 2026 tournament.

As the Mets prepare for that spring ramp-up, one pitcher who remains firmly in focus is Kodai Senga and the weapon that has defined his success so far in the majors.

Senga is known for his signature “Ghost Fork,” a pitch that comes out of his hand looking like a hittable fastball before dropping late and fading away, making it one of his most reliable swing-and-miss offerings.

Even during a challenging 2025 season, the Ghost Fork still helped him generate strikeouts, highlighted by an April outing against the Miami Marlins, where he recorded eight strikeouts, with six coming on that signature pitch.

More broadly, the numbers still reflect his ability to miss bats, as he finished the year with 109 strikeouts in 113.1 innings across 22 starts.

Looking at the bigger picture, Senga has already shown what he can be when fully healthy and locked in. After signing a five-year, $75 million deal with the Mets in 2023, he delivered an impressive debut season with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts.

Injuries limited him in 2024 and disrupted his rhythm in 2025, but if he enters 2026 healthy, his strikeout-heavy profile gives him a clear path to rebounding into an important rotation piece.

For New York, getting that version of Senga back would not only strengthen the pitching staff but also reinforce why David Stearns continues to view him as a dependable part of the Mets’ plans moving forward.

He also seems to have a clear idea of how another rising talent could fit into the Mets’ plans, especially top prospect Carson Benge.

Carson Benge’s role on the New York Mets

The Mets appear to be preparing for the potential debut of Carson Benge in the upcoming season.

The former first-round pick was selected by New York in the 2024 MLB Draft, and he has quickly climbed the system as one of the organization’s most promising young players.

When asked about the Mets’ No. 2 prospect, GM David Stearns shared his thoughts on Benge and what the team could envision for him moving forward.

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“With Carson, I’ve been clear all offseason. He’s got a chance to make the club. Robert’s addition doesn’t change that. We’re going to give him a chance to make the club out of camp. It doesn’t mean he is, but we’ll give him a chance.”

While he is yet to make his MLB debut, Carson Benge has drawn attention for his impressive bat-to-ball skills in games. Additionally, he also has low strikeouts, good bat speed, and can also play against all kinds of pitching. That being said, he needs to work on pulling and lifting the ball, which might turn him into a 20-homer threat in the majors when he makes his debut. Last season, Benge achieved 13 homers and a batting average. 178 in 24 games.

The New York Mets might be planning to use Carson Benge in the outfield when he makes his MLB debut. They might be planning to use Benge in the outfield, especially in left field. However, they might even choose to play him in center field instead of Tyrone Taylor.

Now that David Stearns seems to have all the chess pieces on board, like Kodai Senga, Freddy Peralta, and Carson Benge, the only thing to see is if this earns him a World Series title or not.