Mets continue spending spree, adding Japanese pitcher Senga

Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga and the New York Mets have agreed to a $75 million, five-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

It is the latest big move for free-spending owner Steve Cohen and the busy Mets during a dizzying week. Senga figures to slot into the middle of a revamped rotation headed by three-time Cy Young Award winners Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.

Hours earlier, the Mets completed a $162 million, eight-year contract Saturday to bring back free agent center fielder Brandon Nimmo. New York also finalized deals with free agent pitchers Verlander, José Quintana and David Robertson in the past few days, after re-signing AllStar closer Edwin Díaz to a $102 million, five-year deal last month.

Within the last week, the Mets have committed $359.7 million to five free agents, including Senga.

Those moves push New York’s projected 2023 payroll to around $340 million right now — well beyond the highest luxury-tax threshold of $293 million. And that’s without any other major additions this winter.

Senga, a hard-throwing right-hander 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.

A three-time Nippon Professional Baseball AllStar and a five-time Japan Series champion, Senga tossed three scoreless innings in two outings for Japan against the U.S. in the Olympics last year, allowing one hit and striking out six with two walks.

Senga, Verlander and Quintana replace the three Mets starters who became free agents this offseason: Jacob deGrom left for Texas, Taijuan Walker has a deal with Philadelphia and Chris Bassitt remains available on the open market.