Player swap trades have been the hot commodity across MLB in the early stages of the hot stove season. The most recent player swap deal was confirmed when the New York Mets sent Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in return for Marcus Semien.
The New York Mets are expected to make big splashes this offseason, and that trade for Semien may be the first of many dominoes to fall. With the reports of the Mets receiving trade calls on Kodai Senga, should New York move on from him in favor of a more tenured, durable starter in the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ Mitch Keller?
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Mets-Pirates Trade Idea Swaps Starting Pitchers
In this trade idea, the Mets would send Kodai Senga to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and in return, New York would receive former All-Star Mitch Keller.
Kodai Senga was recently named as the Mets’ top trade candidate by Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller:Â
“They already have almost too many options for their rotation, but only rookie Nolan McLean seems worth getting excited about. For every arm they sign, they may look to get rid of (at least) one currently on the roster. And they could surely get more than just salary relief if they moved Senga.”
Vincent Carchietta/Getty ImagesMets pitch Kodai Senga will make his first start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.
Miller indicates they have “too many options,” and while that may be true, the options aren’t as quality as some other big-time contenders in the NL like the Dodgers, Phillies, and Milwaukee Brewers.
Mitch Keller was the subject of trade rumors back in July, but ultimately did not move. His trade value is predicated on his controllable contract and his ability to take the ball each fifth day.
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What Both Kodai Senga and Mitch Keller Can Bring to the Table.
If someone were to say that the Mets would consider trading Kodai Senga a year ago, you would look at them funny, but things have changed.
After a stellar 2023 rookie (All-Star) campaign, Kodai Senga was limited to just one start in 2024. In what appeared to be a promising start to 2025, Senga dealt with an injury late in the summer, and when he returned in September, he was not as effective as he was earlier in the season. All in all, Kodai Senga has a 3.00 ERA in 52 career starts.
He signed a five-year, $75 million deal that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season.
As for Mitch Keller (also an All-Star in 2023), he’s under a very similar contract to Kodai Senga. He’s signed through 2028 on a five-year, $77 million deal.
In 2025, Mitch Keller posted a 4.19 ERA in 176.2 innings. Keller has made 29+ starts in each of the past four seasons. Senga’s arsenal may feature more swing-and-miss stuff, but considering the Mets dealt with so many injuries in the starting rotation this season, the front office may value dependability and durability over slightly better production.
All these factors make a deal like this feasible, and it will be interesting to see how both the Mets and Pirates handle internal discussions surrounding both players.
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