The visit barely sparked attention, at least in the United States. But there was Mets owner Steve Cohen at the Tokyo Dome on March 16, visible on the field before Shohei Ohtani pitched for Japan against Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

The Mets will be one of the few teams willing to pay Ohtani, 28, as a free agent next offseason. They lack left-handed power, and a long-term ace in his prime. Their general manager, Billy Eppler, persuaded Ohtani to sign with the Angels as the GM of that club in Dec. 2017.

It is common for major-league teams to send representatives to games in Japan, starting when players are in high school. Japanese players consider their presence meaningful, a show of respect. To hear Cohen tell it, however, his presence at Ohtani’s start against Italy was mere happenstance.

“Two reasons I was in Japan,” he said in a text message Wednesday. “I had my Asian portfolio manager and senior leadership offsite in Kyoto. I combined it with a father-daughters trip in Tokyo. I would have been there regardless if there wasn’t a game.”

Cohen, of course, cannot admit interest in Ohtani without violating Major League Baseball’s tampering rules. A number of major-league executives, including Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, also made recent visits to Japan. A top Japanese starter, right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, is expected to be posted next offseason. And other Japanese stars will become available in the future.

The Mets, given the state of their rotation, likely would have interest in Yamamoto as well. The season is long. Much will change. But early injuries to Justin Verlander, 40, and José Quintana, 34, and a rocky first two starts from Max Scherzer, 38, demonstrate the risk the Mets are taking with an older rotation.