The New York Mets have a major decision to make as Opening Day approaches in a few days, which is whether to keep their first-round pick from 2024, Carson Benge, on the roster.
Benge’s play this spring training is forcing the Mets into a challenging decision, as the 23-year-old has been red-hot and is screaming that he should be on the Opening Day roster for New York.
Entering March 22, Benge has recorded 38 at-bats and is hitting .368 with five RBIs, five runs, a .442 OBP, and a .889 OPS, per MLB.com.
On March 22, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke with reporters and shared whether he had an update on Benge’s status with the major league team ahead of their Opening Day game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“We haven’t made any decision yet,” Mendoza said (h/t SNY). “I know you guys got to ask, but we still have to go through [March 22]. We still have to get through [March 23]. Then obviously we have to make decisions. But yeah, we’ve got to get through the next couple of days here.”
Mets’ Juan Soto Backs Kodai Senga Ahead of 2026 Season
Another player who’s having an amazing spring training is Kodai Senga, and if the Mets want to return to the postseason in 2026, they’ll need a bounce-back season from the veteran.
Senga has made three appearances on the mound for the Mets in spring training, going 9 2/3 innings while posting a 1.86 ERA, a 0.72 WHIP, and striking out 11 batters, per MLB.com.
The veteran right-hander is coming off a challenging 2025 season in which the injury bug derailed what was a solid start to the campaign. Senga posted a 7-6 record with an ERA of 3.02 and 109 strikeouts in 22 appearances in 2025, per StatMuse.
Nonetheless, Mets star Juan Soto is backing Senga and giving the veteran a confidence boost as the pitcher looks to stay healthy in 2026 and be one of the reasons why New York finds itself back in the postseason later this fall.
“That’s our ace,” Soto told reporters on March 19 (h/t SNY). “If he stays healthy, he’s going to help the team go all the way. He has the stuff to do it. He’s got to try to keep himself in the game.”
Kodai Senga Looks to Carry Over Spring Training Success
While Senga is performing well in the preseason, he knows that this production needs to carry over to the regular season. As a result, the Mets standout is taking his performances with a grain of salt, as the real thing begins for him in a few days.
“Obviously, I’m still adjusting, and so are the hitters,” Senga said through his interpreter (h/t SNY). “So the results are the results, and I take them with a grain of salt. But if you look at the metrics of the pitches that I’m throwing, I think that does translate into the season.
“Some are good, some are not as good, but compared to previous years, I feel like I am performing at a higher level. So I’m just going to keep it up for the season.”
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