NEW YORK – The Mets have been living out of suitcases and hotel rooms since they left Citi Field on Sept. 22. The souvenirs they picked up along their travels: an end-of-season surge, a dramatic Wild Card-clinching win and fervent momentum.

The Mets returned to New York on Monday for the first time in more than two weeks tied, 1-1, with the Phillies in the National League Division Series. There will have been a 16-day hiatus between games at Citi Field when they take the field for Game 3 on Tuesday.

“I think we've gone through a lot as a team for the past two weeks, and there's not a single guy that's complained about anything,” outfielder Harrison Bader said. “We're actually having the most fun we've ever had for traveling two weeks on the road. I think we love it. It's a traveling circus, if you will.”

The Mets’ hectic road schedule took them to Atlanta (Sept. 24-26) and Milwaukee (Sept. 27-29) to close out the regular season. Because of Hurricane Helene, the Mets returned to Truist Park to play a postseason-standing-deciding doubleheader on Sept. 30.

New York locked in the No. 6 seed, which earned them a trip back to American Family Field for the Wild Card round (Oct. 1-3). Following a dramatic three-game series, they traveled on to Philadelphia to play the opening two games of the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park (Oct. 5-6).

“We spent a lot of time together and obviously had some crazy games and good times and a couple celebrations,” said right-hander Adam Ottavino. “It definitely feels like we have a team mojo thing going, and definitely being on the road strengthens that because you’re just kind of in it together.”

These sorts of lengthy road trips before a first postseason home game haven’t been so rare in recent years. The 2022 Phillies did not play at Citizens Bank Park for 19 days from Sept. 25 (regular season vs. Atlanta) through Oct. 14 (Game 3 of NLDS vs. Atlanta). The 2023 Rangers also had a 16-day layoff from games in Arlington.

In both cases, the teams won their first games back home.

“Being away from home that long, it’s us against the world,” said right-handed reliever Drew Smith. “There was a lot going on, there was a lot against us, we faced a lot of adversity and I think that just brings us closer together, for sure.”

There were team meals, dinners with similar defensive positions and postgame gatherings. At the root of them, communication. That’s why something like routine bus trips became an opportunity for bonding.

“The bus rides were always fun,” Smith said. “Nobody’s headphones are on, we’re all together, talking. It’s good team camaraderie and we have a good time.”

So on road trips when there was not a lot of time outside the ballpark, like the three-day Wild Card whirlwind in Milwaukee, that bond already had been established.

“We are always united, maintaining this union, this chemistry,” catcher Luis Torrens said in Spanish.

Right-handed reliever Reed Garrett described the Mets as “a close-knit group.” He noted the team boosted their road bonding earlier this season with the London Series in June. That chemistry carried into later in the season, down the stretch and into the playoffs.

“I think it just shows that we’re here and we’re a good ball club,” Garrett said. “No matter where we’re at, we’re just going to go out there and play.”

Manager Carlos Mendoza emphasized all the way back in Spring Training that the Mets “needed to be a family.” They have stuck together in front of roaring, opposing crowds, earning another chance to take the field in front of their own fans.

“You do so much together,” Mendoza said. “... They find a way to just, as a group, continue to have conversations, continue to keep it loose, continue to push when they have to. Taking the losses and getting back on the bus – as opposed to everyone going different places – and you continue to talk about the game and what are some of the adjustments you have to make the next day in order to get the job done, I think it’s helped.

“But I'm excited to be back. I'm glad we're back home now.”