Assessing the Mets' magical season, what it means moving forward

NEW YORK -- In the immediate aftermath of the Mets’ National League Championship Series loss to the Dodgers, the tone in the visiting clubhouse was one of melancholy.

“It’s hard to think about it now because you’re two wins away from extending yourself and getting to the World Series,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. “You never know with this stuff. You don’t want to think, ‘Well, there’s always next year.’ Because I think you should try and take advantage of the opportunity that you have in front of you. And you don’t know when the next one’s going to come.”

Yet as Nimmo and other Mets began the long process of reflecting on the year, they became willing to acknowledge the uniqueness of their accomplishments. This was a team that, in both late May and late August, seemed extremely unlikely to make the playoffs, let alone to advance all the way to Game 6 of the NLCS. Along the way, the Mets became one of the more beloved teams in franchise history -- the team of Grimace, “OMG” and more.

“When you look back at the season that we’ve had, and what we’ve done from the beginning until now,” Nimmo said, “I think there’s a lot to be proud of.”

Defining moment: Is it possible to identify just one? Francisco Lindor’s go-ahead home run in Game 161 against the Braves to push the Mets into the playoffs could certainly be it, but Pete Alonso’s three-run shot in the ninth inning of Wild Card Series Game 3 was probably bigger. Then again, what about Lindor’s grand slam in NL Division Series Game 4 against the Phillies, which all but clinched the first champagne celebration in Citi Field history? Forced to pick one, it’s probably Alonso’s shot. But these Mets were about so much more than just one moment.

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What we learned: This core can win. Entering the season, major questions surrounded the offensive nucleus of Lindor, Alonso, Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, who had experienced some success together but always seemed to fade in the most important games. That changed dramatically in Game 161 in Atlanta, then in all the subsequent moments listed above. While the core could certainly change this winter, with Alonso about to become a free agent, Lindor and Nimmo -- at the least -- are in it for the long haul. That should give fans optimism.

Best development: Statistically, Lindor’s season was one of the greatest by a position player in franchise history. His level up changed the narrative surrounding not only his ability to be this type of player, but the ceiling of a roster built around him. This team is wed to Lindor for another seven years and $238.1 million. For the Mets, that’s looking more and more like a good thing.

Area for improvement: The relief problems that surfaced early on never really went away, despite a different cast of characters populating the bullpen from beginning to end. In the first half of the season, the Mets lost Brooks Raley, Drew Smith and prospect Nate Lavender to Tommy John surgeries. Although president of baseball operations David Stearns rebuilt his relief corps at the Deadline, trading for Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek and Huascar Brazobán, only Stanek proved reliable in October. The Mets finished 17th in the Majors in bullpen ERA (4.03) and were notably worse in the playoffs as a taxed unit showed its fatigue. The good news is Stearns has a long track record of building solid bullpens. He’ll aim to do it again in 2025.

On the rise: Third baseman Mark Vientos is more than merely on the rise; he ascended into stardom during the playoffs, setting a Mets postseason record with 14 RBIs. There’s no longer any question about Vientos fitting into the Mets’ future. The only uncertainty is whether he’ll remain at third base, where he spent the bulk of 2024, or shift to first base, designated hitter, or some combination of those positions. Much will depend upon Alonso’s decision.

Team MVP: Lindor, of course. Had he not injured his back in mid-September, Lindor might have seriously challenged Shohei Ohtani for the overall NL award. As it was, Lindor is near-certain to finish second behind Ohtani on the strength of a season that saw him hit .273/.344/.500 with 33 homers and 29 stolen bases, all while playing exemplary shortstop defense. Lindor took on more of a leadership role this year and was, in just about every way, the Mets’ most valuable player.