What’s the latest on the New York Mets offseason, trade options, and Kodai Senga? According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the top Mets trade candidate in the rotation would prefer to stay.

To his credit, Senga has helped his case to remain with the Mets short of everything but finishing last year strong. He willingly accepted a minor league assignment which was best for him and the team late last year. And based on why he wants to stay, we can tip our caps.

Feeling obligated to finish what he started, it’s a commendable reason to want to remain in Flushing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter much. A limited 10-team no trade clause should still have the Mets circling. If they were able to get Brandon Nimmo to waive his no trade clause, having 66% of the league available to deal Senga to shouldn’t make this an impossible hurdle to overcome.

Kodai Senga has the right attitude about wanting to get right with the Mets, but it’s pretty meaningless

Subtracting Senga from the team’s plans next year feels like the easiest way to reinvent the club. He should fetch a good enough return on the trade market. Because of his salary and two guaranteed years of control, he’s one of the more attractive players for the Mets to deal.

Sean Manaea is making $50 million over the next two seasons with an even shakier season. There isn’t quite the same excuse as Senga for his fall-off late in the year. All things considered, Senga had a strong season. It was just the final stretch after returning from injury that placed him on the trade block.

The Mets could shop David Peterson whose salary should creep up in the $8-9.5 million range this year. He’s arbitration eligible and the least expensive of their starting pitchers. He had some of the same falloff as Senga without the injury being to blame. He’s tradable but also coming off a year where he was a durable All-Star who gave the team more quality starts than anyone else. Clay Holmes? I suppose they could trade him, but for what other than to subtract someone?

Senga isn’t in a position to demand a trade. Saying anything short of wanting to stay with the Mets would have been the bigger issue. A clear creature of habit, staying with the Mets may go beyond just the sentiment of wanting to stick around and prove doubters wrong. He has been with the ball club for three seasons and has a routine. It can’t be easy to get sold to another city out of your control.

Senga may want to stay, but swapping him remains the most practical way to open up a spot on the roster. It subtracts finances they could use elsewhere and allows them to add a more proven ace, a label Senga earned in 2023 but has since lost. It wouldn’t hurt the Mets to stick with him and bet on a rebound next year. However, they can’t roll out with the same starting staff plus Nolan McLean. That’s when it turns into a mistake.