ATLANTA, GA – JULY 06: New York interim manager Andy Green (70) reacts during the MLB game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves on July 6th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The New York Mets have officially handed the managerial reins to Andy Green after a disappointing 2026 season, giving their new full-time skipper a three-year contract and plenty of difficult decisions to make before next season.
Green took over as interim manager in June after the Mets dismissed Carlos Mendoza, and the organization ultimately decided to remove the interim tag rather than conduct an external search when he informed the front office that he’d be interested in remaining in the dugout.
“Green’s new deal runs through the 2029 season,” Anthony DiComo wrote for MLB.com. “Next year will bring new pressures and heightened expectations. It will be up to Green to manage all that.”
New York Mets Skipper Andy Green Discusses Big Kodai Senga Decision
Among the many challenging decisions facing Green as he looks to steer the Mets back into the playoffs next year involves a former All-Star whose role changed dramatically during the final months of the season.
In the fourth season of a five-year, $75 million contract, Kodai Senga tried to regain his footing as a starting pitcher, but the Mets eventually moved him to the bullpen. The experiment produced a very different version of the veteran right-hander and left the club with a legitimate question about where he belongs in 2027.
Senga proved capable of handling late-inning work, giving the Mets another option as they assess their pitching staff for next season.
“After taking over as the closer the last two months, Kodai Senga proved to the Mets that he can pitch out of the bullpen, something that was completely foreign to him until this year,” Robert Sanchez noted for SNY. “The right-hander had some bumps along the way, of course, but for the most part Senga was a reliable arm as a reliever and went 8-for-9 on save opportunities…”
But that success has not eliminated the possibility of Senga returning to the rotation. Addressing the first major dilemma of his permanent tenure, Green acknowledged that the Mets have a real choice to make.
“Andy Green on whether Kodai Senga’s future with the Mets is as a starter or reliever: ‘I think there’s a real decision point there and it’s not one that we’re ready to make today,’” the New York Post’s Mike Puma reported on Wednesday.
New York Mets Face Closer Dilemma After Andy Green Decision
Before his difficult 2026 campaign, Senga had established himself as a high-level starter for the Mets, going 20-13 with a 3.00 ERA across his first three seasons in New York. He also finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2023.
His 2026 season, however, forced the Mets to reconsider his role. After struggling in the rotation, Senga found success after moving to the bullpen, including a 1.74 ERA in August and seven consecutive successful save opportunities to begin his new assignment.
But with Devin Williams returning from the injured list, the Mets no longer have an obvious reason to keep Senga in a closer’s role. Green acknowledged that the club’s offseason roster moves will help determine where Senga ultimately fits.
For Green, the decision represents one of the first major tests of his new tenure. The Mets have until next season to determine whether Senga’s future is back in the rotation, in the bullpen or somewhere in between.
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