NEW YORK (AP) — Pitcher Kodai Senga can opt out of his contract with the New York Mets after the 2025 season if he totals at least 400 innings in the next three seasons.
Senga, who is to be introduced at a Citi Field news conference on Monday, gets a $5 million signing bonus as part of a $75 million, five-year contract. He receives salaries of $14 million annually from 2023-27 and can opt out of the deal after the 2025 season if he pitches a total of 400 innings from 2023-25.
There is a $15 million conditional team option for 2028 that the Mets could exercise if Senga does not opt out and has Tommy John surgery or a right elbow injury that causes him to go on the injured list for more than 130 consecutive days.
His salaries through 2027 would escalate by $2 million for each Cy Young Award won and by $1 million for finishing second through fifth in the voting. The escalators would apply to the 2028 option only if the conditions for the option are met.
Senga gets a full no-trade provision through 2025, then can block trades to 10 teams for the remainder of the contract, He cannot be assigned to the minor leagues without his consent, and he will become a free agent when the contract expires.
He would earn a $100,00 bonus for winning reliever of the year, a $50,000 bonus for winning a Cy Young, $25,000 for finishing second in the Cy Young voting and $10,000 for third. Senga would get $100,000 for World Series MVP, $50,000 each for making the All-Star ream, winning a Gold Glove or the League Championship Series MVP
Senga, a hard-throwing right-hander, did not have to go through the posting system with the Japanese big leagues because he has 11 seasons of service time.
Senga, who turns 30 in January, was 11-6 with a 1.94 ERA in 22 starts for the Pacific League’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks last season. He pitched three scoreless innings in two outings to help Japan win a gold medal at the Olympics last year, allowing one hit and striking out six with two walks.
Senga struck out 16 in 11 innings during the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He permitted one earned run in three games, earning all-tournament team honors.
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