Mets manager Terry Collins listed Daisuke and Lannan as the leaders for the club's last rotation spot.
Masahiro Tanaka isn't the only former Nippon League ace that could be starting games in New York this season, but he might the only one fans are excited about.
Mets manager Terry Collins reported that the leaders for his team's fifth rotation spot are Daisuke Matsuzaka and John Lannan, according to the Long Island Newsday's Marc Carig.
Matsuzaka, 33, re-signed with the Mets in January after making seven starts four the team last season.
In 38 ⅔ innings, Dice-K pitched to a 4.42 ERA and a career-worst groundball rate of 28.3 percent. However, he has a 5.41 ERA and 80 ERA+ since 2009, and has only been able to throw 334 innings total in that stretch. He had Tommy John surgery in 2011, and suffered from several shoulder and back ailments that have limited his workload and effectiveness.
Lannan, 29, appeared in just over 74 innings for the Phillies last year, posting a 5.33 ERA in 14 starts. Leg injuries (patellar tendonitis and a strain to his quadriceps tendon) also have limited Lannan, causing him to log just 107 innings since 2011.
The Mets have a few young arms that could enter into the mix as well. In addition to Zack Wheeler -- who could be the team's Opening Day starter -- Jenrry Mejia, and possibly Jake DeGrom, could see time in the rotation with solid performances this spring. It's possible that the team' No. 1 prospect, 21 year-old Noah Syndergaard, could earn a cup of coffee in September, but New York is likely to bring him along slowly, so most evaluators don't project him to see regular time in the majors until 2015.