Cubs trade proposal would move on from one of top players in what would be the start of selling

Cubs trade proposal would move on from one of top players in what would be the start of selling originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

To say it's been an ugly start to the season for the New York Mets would be an understatement, and now the question has shifted to what could happen going forward. For an organization that was expected to win at the highest level throughout the campaign, it's almost impossible to justify anything that we've seen out of New York this year.

The only question now is what the Mets will do about moving on from players, as the trade deadline could give them a prime chance to be sellers. Among the options that could be traded, Kodai Senga, a right-handed starting pitcher who has struggled recently, was named as someone who could be dealt in a deal with the Chicago Cubs.

Cubs get: Senga

Mets get: Jostin Florentino, Kane Kepley

“The Mets would consider trading Kodai Senga in this scenario because they are off to a 7–12 start and may already be drifting out of contention, which shifts their focus from competing now to retooling for the future. With Senga struggling in 2026 (7.07 ERA, 1.71 WHIP), they could view him as a valuable trade chip whose current market value is still strong enough to bring back meaningful prospects before a potential further dip in performance.

“In that context, moving him for younger, controllable talent like Jostin Florentino and Kane Kepley makes sense, as Florentino offers a developing mid-rotation pitching profile with strikeout ability, while Kepley brings elite on-base skills and speed that can contribute to a future lineup,” Ryan Shea wrote.

This isn't exactly a perfect return for the Mets, but there isn't a perfect return out there for a starter of Senga's caliber any longer. Had the Mets moved on from him a few years ago, it would be a different story, but that isn't what happened. We have to be realistic now, so this is something that aligns better with what New York should expect to return.