MLB Rumors: Mets Not Eyeing Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery amid Kodai Senga Injury

The New York Mets are not hitting the panic button following the news that Kodai Senga will be shut down and is likely to miss Opening Day with a right shoulder strain.

The Mets are not expected to pursue the likes of Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery in the wake of Senga's injury, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

"The team would pay a 110 percent luxury tax on every dollar spent on Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, or anyone else, pushing the cost of those players into the $70-to-$80 million range for this year," Martino wrote.

It's no surprise the Mets aren't targeting the likes of Snell and Montgomery. The franchise is expected to have the highest payroll in baseball after tax in 2024 at $309.6 million, according to Spotrac.

If New York had the money to spend, then maybe the franchise would explore adding another arm, but Snell and Montgomery won't come cheap, and thus the Mets will have to rely on what they already have.

Senga did not work out at spring training on Wednesday and manager Carlos Mendoza noted that he was dealing with arm fatigue. Upon further examination, he was diagnosed with a moderate right posterior capsule strain in the back of his right shoulder.

While Senga is not expected to be available for Opening Day on March 28 against the Milwaukee Brewers, president of baseball operations David Stearns said he should be available for much of the season.

"We don't expect Opening Day, but I do expect him to make a bunch of starts for us this year," Stearns said. "This is not a surgical-type problem. This is something with rest and treatment — potentially an injection — that can move this forward."

The Mets signed Senga in 2023 from Japan's Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. He put together an impressive rookie season, posting a 12-7 record with a 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 202 strikeouts in 166.1 innings across 29 starts en route to an All-Star selection.

Senga is expected to anchor New York's rotation this season after the franchise missed out on Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who both signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency.

Beyond Senga, the Mets will rely on a rotation that includes Luis Severino, José Quintana, Sean Manaea and Adrian Houser. Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi and Jose Butto could be candidates to take Senga's spot until he's ready to return.