The Mets’ roster squeeze could open a door for the Guardians, and Kodai Senga is the kind of arm worth watching if the price comes down.
Senga’s name carries plenty of weight because of what he did when he first arrived in MLB. After an 11-year career in Nippon Professional Baseball, he joined the Mets in 2023 and delivered a 2.98 ERA over 116 1/3 innings in the first season of his five-year, $75 million deal.
That looked like a win for New York at the time. It doesn’t look quite that simple now.
His 2026 season changed the picture. Senga opened the year with an 8.66 ERA in 13 games, got shifted to the bullpen in early August, and finished with a 3.78 ERA in 16 2/3 innings out of relief, along with eight saves.
He debuted in that role with a scoreless inning against the Guardians. Senga would prefer to stay a starter, but that’s not necessarily how a team has to use him.
That’s where Cleveland enters the conversation. The Athletic’s Will Sammon, Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo reported earlier today that Senga is drawing trade interest from multiple teams, and the Guardians could be one of them. There’s a catch, though: any deal would likely require the Mets to absorb some of the $14 million salary.
The recent track record is uneven, but there’s still enough in Senga’s profile to make him interesting. In 2025, he posted a 3.02 ERA in 113 1/3 innings before things unraveled late, with a 6.56 ERA in his final eight appearances before a trip to Triple-A. The year before, injuries limited him to one regular-season start - a moderate posterior capsule strain followed by a high calf strain - and he also struggled in three postseason appearances.
For the Guardians, the appeal is obvious. They have a vacancy in both the rotation and the bullpen, and Senga gives them a chance to fill either spot with an All-Star caliber arm if the Mets are willing to make the money work.
In Other News...
Guardians Face A Tough Call On A Top Prospect Soon
Jaison Chourio has climbed steadily through the Guardians minor league system and is now at Triple-A, putting him on the doorstep of a decision Cleveland has been preparing for. The organization is expected to add him to the 40-man roster soon, a move aimed at keeping him out of the Rule 5 Draft and preserving one of the more intriguing young players in the system.
For the Guardians, it is the kind of roster call that comes with both urgency and patience. Chourio is viewed as a top prospect, but he still appears to be about a year away from making a regular impact in the majors, which means Cleveland has to balance protecting his future with the realities of a crowded roster right now. [Read more 🡒]
Former Guardians Prospect Gets Another Shot With A Contender
Christian Cairo is getting another fresh start, this time with a contender that has a long track record of turning depth pieces into useful big league options. The former Guardians prospect was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers from the Mets, adding another stop to a pro career that has already taken him through four organizations over seven seasons without a major league appearance.
For Cleveland fans, Cairo remains one of those familiar names who never quite got the call despite sticking around the game and keeping himself in the mix. The Dodgers made a second roster move the same day by re-signing infielder Tyler Fitzgerald to a minor league deal, a reminder of how quickly the margins can shift for players trying to stay positioned for a breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Another Future Core Infielder On The Rise
Welbyn Franciscas rapid climb has given the Guardians another name to watch in the middle infield pipeline. The 20-year-old switch-hitting infielder from the Dominican Republic signed with Cleveland in 2023 and reached Double-A Akron this season, then backed up that progress with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. That combination was enough to land him at No. 98 on Bleacher Reports Top 100 prospect list, a notable step for a player still early in his professional career.
For a Cleveland system that has long valued homegrown infield talent, Franciscas rise adds to the sense that the organization may have another future core piece developing in plain sight. He is one of four Guardians prospects included on the list, which weighs both current ability and long-term upside, and his placement suggests evaluators are taking notice of how quickly his tools are translating. The next test will be whether he can keep that momentum going as he moves closer to the upper levels. [Read more 🡒]