Mets & Carlos Mendoza’s Lost Trust to Force Kodai Senga Out of MLB After Jonah Tong Discovery, Says Insider

Kodai Senga, once forecasted as a Game 1 playoff starter, now sits at a crossroads. Since coming back from the injured list in July, the Japanese right-hander has unraveled, posting a 5.90 ERA across nine starts and allowing hitters to sit on his arsenal with alarming ease. His latest outing, a five-run implosion in just 4⅔ innings against the Marlins, only penetrated the concerns about whether he belongs in the Mets’ playoff rotation at all.

Manager Carlos Mendoza did not hide his unease. “We’ve got to get him right… I’m sure we’re going to have some discussion about what’s next for him,” he said after Sunday’s (August 31, 2025) loss. That “discussion” has promoted rumors about whether Senga’s next turn will even come in the majors, particularly with other arms waiting in the wings.

Locked On Mets’ Ryan Finkelstein broke down the situation bluntly. “With Senga, it’s a really weird spot because the Mets have a couple of different options,” he explained. “Option one, you get him into an MRI tube…let him go on a rehab assignment and see if he is a pitcher for you down the stretch.”

He further added, “Another option, you get him to accept a minor league assignment… and that’s very rare….I can’t recall any minor assignments that were accepted by a veteran other than J.D. Martinez last year….I don’t think that’s going to happen with Senga.” Finkelstein pointed out that such a demotion would be almost unmatched, underscoring just how far the trust between Senga and the Mets has died.

The tension is compounded by the emergence of Jonah Tong, the 22-year-old flamethrower who was called up after dazzling at Triple-A. The star’s rise provides the Mets with a ready-made alternative—an energetic and controllable star who has shown poise and consistency in a way Senga has not since his hamstring injury derailed Senga earlier in the season, and the Mets no longer feel bound to wait for Senga’s mechanics to click.

Senga himself admitted the harsh reality: “If I’m able to [get back to form], we’re in the postseason and I’m pitching out there. And if I’m not able to, then there’s no spot for me to pitch.” Carlos Mendoza echoed the inconsistency, highlighting how in one inning, Senga’s forkball looks unhittable, and the next, he hangs pitches over the plate. Such volatility has left the team leaning toward younger and steadier options.

The Mets’ patience is wearing thin and with Tong’s discovery providing the team with to cover to make a vital rotation transformation, Senga’s “tough decision” looms larger than ever. As Finkelstein said, unless something changes quickly, the Mets could have no choice but to remove their once-trusted ace from the MLB picture altogether.

Such an uncertainty around Senga’s future ties directly to the emergence of the Mets’ rookie stars, most notably Jonah Tong and now Brandon Sproat, who are forcing the management and Carlos Mendoza into tough, however, necessary rotation choices.

Sproat’s Message, Tong’s Emergence, and the Rookie Push That Is Overtaking Senga

Brandon Sproat, once written off after a rough first half, has surged in Triple-A. On Saturday, the star struck out nine over seven shutout innings, dropping his ERA to 2.44 with 70 strikeouts in the last 59 frames. Mendoza quickly took notice and said, “We’re watching… and I think that was a message from Sproat [Saturday] to all of us here. Like, ‘Hey, man, I can do this, too.’”

That message lands at a moment when the rotation already looks weak. With David Peterson collapsing (7.56 ERA over his last five games) and Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes unable to pitch deep into outings, the Mets’ staff is wobbling. And yet, the rookies have been the ones providing stability to the bullpen, as Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong have combined for four starts and four wins, transitioning flawlessly into a six-man group. Mendoza even admitted that the rotation is in “competition” mode, with commitments only extending start-to-start.

The problem for Senga? The more Tong and Sproat thrive, the less patience remains for his inconsistency. Tong, especially, has been the revelation, providing electric stuff and confidence that has made him more than just a placeholder. His discovery has accelerated the Mets’ willingness to lean on youth, even at the expense of veterans such as Senga.

As September call-ups begin, the choices are crisp: stick with a downgrading Senga or hand over the ball to the rookies who are already proving they belong. Mendoza’s comments and Sproat’s performance advocate that the Mets’ decision might not be as difficult as it once looked.