It’s over. It’s been a week since the Mets’ season came to a close against the heroic LA Dodgers. It was a true David vs. Goliath series, but it ended with the mighty heroes of LA’s superteam advancing to face the Yankees in the World Series. It hurts to see your team have such an amazing season and make it so far in the playoffs, only to have it all come crashing down at the bitter end. But this Mets team can’t be praised enough for their grit and integrity, especially down the stretch. We were a team that never quit, persevering through the game’s toughest challenges and keeping our heads high, hoping to survive just one more day among the top teams.

This was a team built upon an unlikely hero: midseason call-up José Iglesias, who brought us a rally chant in his ‘Candelita’s song “OMG” and the most bizarre season mascot imaginable in Grimace. This was a season that redefined the organization and brought renewed faith to the “Miracle Mets.”

The year prior was dominated by trades—sending away stars like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar—in a desperate attempt to build for the future. Understandably, fans were filled with doubt and nerves. Fans that have stuck it out through the highs and lows of this franchise have so often found themselves let down during the most crucial moments. It seemed certain that 2024 would be another season of humiliation, one more chapter in the mockery of a wealthy franchise that’s become the “anti-hero” of the MLB, constantly judged more for our failures than praised for our success. But 2024 was different; it reshaped what the future held for us, promising something more as we look to 2025.

This was also the first season with David Stearns in charge of operations. His successes with the Brewers—leading them to the playoffs year after year with one of the sport’s lowest payrolls—were well known, and he quickly turned heads in New York. The Mets amassed a wide, almost cult-like following as they made doubting fans feel young again, giving them something to look forward to each game.

The Mets haven’t won a playoff series since the 2015 NLCS against the Cubs. So, when the Mets were down to their last out in the Wild Card round, with Devin Williams on the mound and Pete Alonso at bat, fans truly had something to live for as they watched that ball soar out of the park. Nothing gave me more joy than watching that moment on television with my father. Growing up, winning was never a big part of Mets culture, but we stuck together through it all. Loss after loss, Mets fans might pout and rage-quit on Twitter, but we never give up. We love this team, and watching this postseason run was unforgettable. Game 5 of the NLDS and Francisco Lindor’s grand slam that put us over the edge are memories I’ll hold onto forever.

This season was a statement of power—that even with the richest owner and everyone in MLB doubting us, we could still stand toe-to-toe with the best and fight till the end. Now, with $180 million coming off the books and stars like Juan Soto, Teoscar Hernández, Pete Alonso, and Corbin Burnes entering free agency, the Mets’ future is full of potential. They have the chance to give us another season of spectacular baseball—one that could join the ranks of 1969 and 1986 and do what we couldn’t in 1973, 2000, and 2015: bring home a championship. We believed, we fought, and I’m proud of our boys for carrying us through. Sure, the Dodgers beat us and will only grow stronger with Ohtani joining them on the mound, but as always, ya gotta believe!