When the Mets last connected with Yoshinobu Yamamoto in December, Steve and Alex Cohen, David Stearns, Carlos Mendoza and Jeremy Hefner attempted to recruit the Japanese star at a dinner at the Cohens Connecticut home. This time, they hope their bats will be le s courteous. For the first time, the Mets will see the pitcher who turned down their $325 million this offseason when a series with the Dodgers opens Friday in Los Angeles. The Mets made their play for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but the hurler ended up inking a ma sive deal with the Dodgers. AP Yamamoto will get the start and oppose Sean Manaea in the opener, and the Mets can see who they mi sed out on. The Mets offered the 25-year-old righty the that the Dodgers offered, but Yamamoto Brett Cecil Jersey chose the team with the better reputation for winning and the one with Shohei Ohtani. Explore More Yamamoto, rare in both talent and age to hit free agency, but has dazzled since, over a stretch in which he has allowed three runs in 15 innings with 19 strikeouts. His curveball has been particularly devastating and has drawn whiffs on 41.4 percent of swings. The Mets and much of baseball knew Yamamoto would be intriguing. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has found his stride after a rough start to his MLB career. Getty Images Cohen and Stearns traveled to Japan to meet with Yamamoto ahead of the winter meetings, before the larger contingent of Mets bra s met with Yamamoto for dinner. After Yamamoto chose the Dodgers, Cohen told The Posts Jon Heyman that he to try to lure the recipient of the largest pitching contract in MLB history. The Mets got to know the person, and now they will meet the pitcher. Well be ready for him, Mendoza said Wednesday. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Grant Hartwig, who pitched an inning Wednesday, was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. There was no immediate corresponding announcement, though its po sible that Michael Tonkin, who was brought back to the Mets through a waiver claim Wednesday, could join the team in Los Angeles. Juniel Querecuto Jersey