MLB Rumors: Mysterious complication could keep Mets out of Shohei Ohtani bidding

The New York Mets expect to be in the Shohei Ohtani bidding next offseason, but there’s a chance a previous signing might get in the way.

When the Mets signed Kodai Senga and his patented ghost forkball this offseason, they couldn’t have foreseen it impacting their future moves, such as chasing after soon-to-be free agent Shohei Ohtani this winter.

However, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal made an intriguing point in his recent column connecting New York to Ohtani.

While Rosenthal did point out that Steve Cohen made a visit to Tokyo to watch Ohtani and Japan in the World Baseball Classic (among other business ventures), there’s no guarantee that Ohtani would want to play on the same team as Senga.

"As Rosenthal notes in his column, “Some Japanese players are uncomfortable being major-league teammates with other Japanese players because of the importance of seniority in Japan’s hierarchical culture, major-league executives and agents say. The relationship between Senga and Ohtani, if one even exists, is not known. The Mets could always trade Senga if that was part of the price for landing Ohtani, but it would not necessarily be easy. Senga has a full no-trade clause through 2025.”"

MLB Rumors: Could Mets be out on Shohei Ohtani?

Steve Cohen is used to getting what he wants. There’s virtually no way he won’t make an offer to a player like Ohtani, as the Mets have been connected to the former AL MVP for quite some time.

However, if Ohtani were to have a problem with playing on the same team as Senga — currently an unknown, I should preface once again — there’s not much New York can do about it. Senga is under contract through 2027, and has a no-trade clause through the 2025 season. The Mets cannot deal Senga away without his permission, and that’s not a conversation either side hopes to have.