Dramatic offseason changes are coming for Mets after thrilling postseason run

There were a few commonalities in the losing Mets clubhouse.Players were emotional, many sharing red-tinted eyes and hugs.

And players polled were optimistic about the organization’s future, even if there was no guarantee that player would be a part of it.The 2024 Mets were a strange team for reasons beyond Grimace, “OMG” and the Playoff Pumpkin.

This season was supposed to represent a step back after Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander were shipped out at the previous trade deadline and following an offseason that imported plenty of one-year deals.Those contracts were supposed to bridge the gap between the present and future, fill-ins who would keep the Mets competitive without blocking spots from rising Mets prospects.Instead, additions like Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and J.D.

Martinez — plus under-the-radar signings such as Jose Iglesias and trade-deadline upgrades like Jesse Winker, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton — brought the Mets to the sixth game of the NLCS.Is this a sign that the Mets, who might lose three-fifths of their rotation in free agency and must be rebuilt, have sustainability questions? Or is this a sign that the current crop of Mets leaders are uniquely equipped to continue making strong decisions that lead to strong rosters?“This offseason, I think David [Stearns] did a great job of putting things together, putting good people in his clubhouse, and then making additions at the trade deadline that allowed us to get to this spot,” Brandon Nimmo said after the Mets were eliminated at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.“I really think that this is kind of the jumping off point.

We want to set this as a standard now.But … it’s hard to get here.”Nimmo is a foundational piece signed through 2030.

Francisco Lindor will be back, and so will Mark Vientos, Jeff McNeil, Kodai Senga, David Peterson and Edwin Diaz.J.D.Martinez wants to continue to play next season and likely will not be back with the Mets, but he expects the Mets to be a contender...