Mets Notes: King, Senga, Scott, Minter, Alonso
The Mets have emerged as a potential destination for Michael King, a connection that has grown from rumor to real consideration. Reports indicate the club held a video meeting with King, and this interest is substantial enough that New York is weighing its options, especially given King’s familiarity with New York baseball as a former Yankee. That background could help ease a transition, while King’s preference for a shorter-term deal aligns with the Mets’ typical approach to avoid long, burdensome commitments.
MLB Trade Rumors projects King to land a four-year, $80 million contract and currently slots him 14th among the winter’s top free-agent pitchers. With eight or more teams reportedly in the mix, there appears to be ample demand for a front-line arm, which could push King toward a four-year guarantee if the market remains robust. It’s worth noting, though, that 2024 was King’s only fully healthy season as a starter, as shoulder nerve issues limited him to 15 starts and 73 1/3 innings with San Diego, followed by knee inflammation.
King chose to decline San Diego’s qualifying offer, meaning any signing team would sacrifice draft compensation. For a luxury-tax-paying club like the Mets, this comes with a heavy cost: surrendering $1 million in international bonus pool money and surrendering their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2026 draft.
There’s chatter that King could prefer a shorter-term pact with opt-out provisions—potentially allowing another bid next winter if a healthy, productive season materializes. Trading away two picks for a single season of King involves risk for the Mets, even if the short-term window matches their plans. If King performs well enough to trigger an opt-out, that could also boost the pitching staff. Given New York’s injury-plagued 2025 rotation, the club would likely favor a durable starter, though that option would probably command a higher financial commitment or more years.
On the rotation front, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns offered a series of updates during Winter Meetings discussions. A highlight was Kodai Senga’s health, with Stearns saying Senga feels as physically strong as he did in 2023 and labeling it the most encouraging sign of the offseason so far. Senga plans to return from Japan to throw again around the end of December.
Senga burst onto the scene in 2023, but 2024 saw him limited to one game, and 2025 brought further injuries and uneven form, culminating in 113 1/3 innings. He started 2025 strong but faded after a hamstring issue sidelined him for a month. He finished the season with a 5.90 ERA over his final 39 2/3 innings and was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse in September, where he allowed five earned runs in two starts.
There is talk that the Mets could explore trading Senga, potentially moving on from the last two years and $28 million left on his contract. Senga has expressed a desire to remain with the Mets, and his 10-team no-trade clause gives him leverage. Keeping him remains an option, especially if the team is encouraged by his health, while a trade could also be viewed as a move to clear years and money off the books. Stearns’ remarks may also reflect an effort to reassure fans and potential trade partners about Senga’s health while keeping negotiating power.
Rotation updates continued with Christian Scott, who is pegged to be ready for Spring Training. Scott underwent a Tommy John–internal brace hybrid procedure in September 2024, keeping him out for the 2026 season and beyond. He debuted in 2024 and posted a 4.56 ERA across nine starts and 47 1/3 innings before the injury sidelined him.
A.J. Minter is another returning factor, recovering from a season-ending torn lat muscle in May 2025. The lengthy rehab could push his return into the early part of 2026, and Stearns warned that Opening Day might be in jeopardy if rehab overruns. Minter’s health, compounded by earlier hip issues requiring surgery and the uncertain status of relief-fallbacks Edwin Diaz and others, reinforces the Mets’ ongoing push to bolster bullpen depth alongside their three-year deal for Devin Williams.
Stearns also touched on Pete Alonso’s upcoming Winter Meetings plans. Alonso, a Tampa resident, is expected to travel to Orlando to meet with the Orioles, Red Sox, and other interested clubs. While the Mets remain eager to re-sign Alonso, Stearns emphasized that Alonso knows the organization well and will likely use the meetings to explore options with teams he isn’t as familiar with. The Mets will stay in touch as they navigate their continued interest in keeping the polar bear in Queens while weighing other attractive opportunities offered by the market.
