Kodai Senga’s move to the ninth inning is starting to look like more than a temporary fix for the Mets.
With Devin Williams on the injured list after suffering a strained right shoulder, Senga has stepped into the closer’s chair and given New York exactly what it needed: calm, clean innings at the back of the bullpen. He has already converted all three of his save chances since taking over, working scoreless ninths in each outing. In those appearances, he has allowed only one walk in one game and a base hit in another.
The early numbers have been even better since the Mets made the move full-time. Over his last five scoreless innings out of the bullpen, Senga has allowed just three baserunners and struck out seven.
For a team that has been scrambling to piece together its relief group after David Stearns moved Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, and Huascar Brazoban in deadline trades, that kind of stability matters.
The logic behind the switch is easy to see. The Mets believed Senga could be more effective in short bursts with a simpler pitch mix, and so far that idea has held up. He has looked comfortable, and the role seems to suit him.
Williams’ timeline is still unclear, but the Mets don’t have any reason to hurry him back. Given where they sit in the standings, there’s plenty of time to let Senga keep running with the job. He should get at least a few more weeks as the closer, and if the team keeps playing this well, more save chances should follow.
That creates a real decision point for the organization. Senga is under contract for another year at $15 million, and Stearns is going to want to squeeze value out of that deal. If Senga keeps handling the ninth inning like this, he could push past Williams for the role, especially with Williams coming off a shaky first season in Flushing.
There are still some boxes left to check. Senga needs to show he can handle back-to-back days, and there’s also the question of how he responds after a blown save. But right now, the Mets have found something that works, and that alone is a big development.
It could also have bigger implications down the line. If Senga proves he can close or at least handle late-inning duty in 2027, that would remove one more item from Stearns’ winter to-do list.
Williams has filled a setup role effectively before, including with the Milwaukee Brewers when Stearns was running baseball operations, so a future arrangement with Williams setting up for Senga is at least possible. That was also the Mets’ original idea when they signed Williams, before Edwin Diaz chose Los Angeles instead.
There’s still a long road ahead before Senga locks down the job for good. But with the Mets hot since the trade deadline and the bullpen in flux, he’s giving them something they didn’t necessarily expect to find: a legitimate answer in the ninth.
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