PORT ST. LUCIE — The competition for Mets bullpen jobs is growing thinner by the day.
On Wednesday, the team announced right-hander Sam Coonrod had been diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain that will keep him sidelined for an unspecified time frame.
Coonrod had pitched five scoreless innings in five appearances this spring with seven strikeouts.
Coonrod’s injury occurred during a week Bryce Montes de Oca was shut down because of a stress reaction in his right elbow.
Lefty reliever Brooks Raley is nursing a strained left hamstring and hasn’t yet resumed throwing from the mound — although he’s hopeful he will be ready for Opening Day — and the Mets returned Rule 5 pick Zach Greene to the Yankees after an ineffective stretch.
The Mets claimed the 30-year-old Coonrod off waivers from the Phillies last month.
He last pitched Tuesday in an exhibition game against the Nationals.
“He came off the field after throwing his last pitch — as good as any pitch he threw — and felt [the lat] kind of tighten up underneath,” manager Buck Showalter said.
“I think when they did the test and the imaging today our guys were worried about what they might find. [Coonrod] was having a great spring and … pitching as good as anybody in camp.”
The Mets possibly have two bullpen spots that are unsettled, with John Curtiss, Stephen Nogosek, Elieser Hernandez and Jeff Brigham among the names in contention for those positions.
Kodai Senga is set for a return to the rotation for Thursday’s game against the Nationals in West Palm Beach.
The right-hander Senga was scratched from his last start with tendinitis at the base of his right index finger.
In his lone Grapefruit League start, Senga allowed one earned run over two innings against the Cardinals on March 5.
Tomas Nido continued his hot spring training by blasting a fifth-inning homer for the Mets’ only run in their 5-1 loss to the Cardinals.
Nido also homered against the Marlins on Monday and is batting .385 in the Grapefruit League.