The humor, whimsy, and joy of the 2024 New York Mets

The definitive list of all that happened in the 2024 season.

“I wasn’t just a New York Met, I was a 2024 Metro, and if you know you know. What a gift.” Harrison Bader recently shared his thoughts on the 2024 season and being a part of the 2024 team. The team was a special blend that comes together once in a generation that introduces a new generation of fans to the team and reinvigorates a jaded fan base that has seen its fair share of heartbreak.

The story of the 2024 New York Mets had enogh characters, plot lines, and twists to rival A Song of Fire and Ice. There were heroes and villains and victories and failures. Unlike A Song of Fire and Ice, however, this team’s story is complete. Their story has come to an end, but their legend will live on as generations of Mets fans remember this season fondly despite the bittersweet ending. So without further ado, here is the epic tale of the 2024 New York Mets.

1. Opening Day: March 29, 2024. Record 0-1: The season could not have gotten off to a worse start. The home opener was rained out a day earlier and, with Kodai Senga hurt, José Quintana became the Opening Day starter. The Mets lost the game 3-1 against the Brewers with old nemesis Rhys Hoskins getting into it with Jeff McNeil over a late slide. It definitely was not the start Carlos Mendoza and the Mets envisioned not only losing the game but having some anger to start off a brand new season.

2. Veteran of the Game, Seymour Weiner: While Opening Day was a disappointing beginning to the year, fans were introduced to Seymour Weiner that day as the team’s Veteran of the Game. The 97-year-old veteran served in World War II and his name caught the attention of fans online and he soon went viral. He rolled with his newfound celebrity and called it one of the “highlights of his life.”

3. 0-5 to start the season: April 4, 2024: Not only did the Mets lose Opening Day, they kept losing. The weather didn’t help when they got rained out twice against the Tigers, which led to a doubleheader on April 4. After dropping the first game of the doubleheader, they fell to 0-5, and things were not looking great for our heroes. They were hitless in the second game, which led to Gary Cohen opining that it could be rock bottom for the team. But they rallied when Pete Alonso hit a game-tying home run in the ninth, and Tyrone Taylor walked it off to give them their first win of the season in dramatic fashion.

4. Max Weiner, the birth of the Rally Pimp: April 4, 2024. Record 1-5: As the Mets were struggling on the field, the Tigers broadcast chatted with an optimistic fan who gave a delightful interview that resonated with fans. He was later spotted vibing out before the team walked it off, and thus Max Weiner the Rally Pimp was born.

5. Sean Manaea rally cap. April 4, 2024. Record 1-5: Manaea introduced the rally cap just before Alonso’s game tying home run in the ninth. He would bring it out occasionally throughout the season but never was its power more evident than in the ninth inning, Game 3, in the Wild Card series.

6. Vending Machine Burrito: April 7. 2024. Record 3-6: Steve Gelbs took one for the team when he tried a vending machine burrito in Cincinnati. Spoiler alert: it was not good.

7. Francisco Lindor standing ovation: April 12, 2024. Record 5-7: Lindor’s 2024 season got off to a horrific start and he was hearing the boos at Citi Field. He started off going 1-for-31 and was batting just .098 on April 12. Instead of being greeted by boos he received a standing ovation from the home crowd in a show of support to the shortstop. He got a hit in the Mets victory over the Royals and he would eventually receive many, many more standing ovations at the end of the year.

8. Dwight Gooden number retirement ceremony: April 14, 2024. Record 7-8: Both Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry got their numbers retired in 2024, but after Strawberry had a minor heart attack before Gooden’s ceremony there was some sadness that he would be unable to attend. Instead he surprised his old teammate and the two were able to enjoy the ceremony together as 16 was unveiled atop Citi Field.

9. Francisco Alvarez thumb injury: April 19, 2024. Record 11-8: Expectations for the young catcher were high given his outstanding rookie season, but unfortunately for Alvarez his season derailed pretty quickly. He suffered an unfortunate thumb injury after he stumbled around first base against the Dodgers. He did not return until June 11 and in his absence production from Mets’ catchers cratered. The pitching staff also seemed to suffer without him and his pitch framing abilities. While he struggled when he returned, his absence was clearly felt.

10. Dollar Dog Night: April 30, 2024. Record 15-14: Seymour Weiner made his return when the Mets introduced Dollar Dog Night. They used his likeness to advertise the promotion and Mets fans took the promotion as a challenge. A record 44,269 hot dogs were sold that night and even Steve Gelbs got in on the action.

11. Mets call up Mark Vientos and DFA Joey Wendle: May 15, 2024. Record 19-23: Brett Baty won the Opening Day roster spot at third, and with the addition of J.D. Martinez at DH there was no room for Vientos on the roster when the season began. Vientos did get a shot in April when Starling Marte went on the bereavement list, and even hit a walk-off home run against the Cardinals, but was sent back down to Syracuse. With him finding success in Triple-A, and with Wendle struggling both offensively and defensively, the team decided to give Vientos another chance. After getting that second opportunity, he hit .264/.320/.510 with 26 home runs and 69 RBIs and seized the starting third base job. Once the playoffs started he developed the clutch gene and it looks like the Mets have a genuine budding star at the hot corner in Vientos.

12. Francisco Lindor moved to the lead off spot: May 18, 2024. Record 20-25: Lindor was having a miserable season until Carlos Mendoza moved him to the leadoff spot on May 18. After that day he hit .304/.374/.554 with 26 home runs and 70 RBIs. The Mets went 63-45 with him in the lineup from that day and Lindor morphed into a legitimate MVP candidate for the rest of the season.

13. Jorge Lopez ejected and throws glove: May 29, 2024. Record 22-33: In a blowout loss against the Dodgers, frustration boiled over and reliever Jorge Lopez threw his glove into the crowd after he was tossed from the game. He offered no apologies and had some choice words post game. He was promptly DFA-ed and it was an embarrassing low point for a team who went 9-19 over the entire month of May.

14. Team Meeting: May 29, 2024. Record 22-33: The team just got swept by the Dodgers and fell to 11 games under .500. To stop things from spiraling further out of control, Francisco Lindor and the other veterans on the team held a 40-minute players only team meeting. The move showed Lindor’s leadership and what he means to the team both on and off the field.

15. Darryl Strawberry number retirement ceremony: June 1, 2024. Record 24-34: After being there for Gooden’s ceremony in April, it was Strawberry’s turn to watch his number join number Doc’s above Citi Field. During his speech he acknowledged the 2024 team and had some hopeful words for them that turned out to be prophetic.

16. Team bus selfie: June 2, 2024. Record 24-35: After splitting a four-game series at home with the Diamondbacks where they dropped the last two, the team was heading out on the road to Washington. While on the team bus they took a happy selfie which was ill-received by the fan base. They did go on to sweep Washington on the road before heading to London for the London Series against the Phillies.

17. London Series: June 9, 2024. Record 28-36: The Mets dropped the first game in London to Philadelphia with an ugly 7-2 loss. In the second game they were trailing 4-3 in the ninth but managed to take the lead on a hit-by-pitch and passed ball. Now with the score 6-4, the Phillies needed a rally in the bottom of the inning. They pulled to within one and Nick Castellanos up. The Mets turned an exciting 2-2-3 double play which is the first time in AL/NL history that a 2-2-3 double play ended a game.

18. Grimace throws out the first pitch: June 12, 2024. Record 29-37: In honor of Grimace’s birthday, the Mets invited the beloved McDonald’s mascot to throw out the first pitch before a game against the Marlins which they won 10-4. They also won their next six games to put Grimace’s win streak at seven. An innocent stunt in June led a a seat being painted purple in September and Grimace will forever be one of the main characters of the 2024 season.

19. Harrison Bader pink crop top: June 13, 2024. Record 30-37: Bader’s pink crop top became his personal warm-up uniform. He rocked it both pre-game and postgame and was sported by Bader lying on the field, feet in the air, filming Iglesias’s postgame concert. While everyone else was still in their black gameday uniforms Bader stood out in his own pink uni.

20. J.D. Martinez walk-off home run: June 13, 2024. Record 30-37: Martinez signed late in the offseason as the final missing puzzle piece for David Stearns in his first season as Mets’ President of Baseball Operations. In his long, successful career he had never hit a walk-off home run until he blasted one in the ninth against the Marlins to earn the team a series victory in their first series back home from London.

21. Edwin Díaz suspended for illegal foreign substance on hands: June 23, 2024. Record 37-39: When Díaz entered the game to close out a game against the Cubs, umpire Vic Carapazza ejected him for having a foreign substance on his hands. It had been an up-and-down season for Díaz who missed all of 2023 after suffering an injury in the World Baseball Classic. After getting their closer back from injury, now the team would be without him again for 10 games which was the mandatory suspension associated with a sticky stuff ejection.

22. Grimace shotguns a beer. June 26, 2024. Record 39-39: The Grimace phenomenon truly took off when fans came to the ballpark dressed as the purple mascot. The moment caught on camera of a Grimace shotgunning a beer, in front of an adoring crowd, with lightning flashing behind the scene is pure cinematic excellence. This was also the first time the Mets made it to .500 and it came in a 12-2 win over the Yankees. A momentous day.

23. Jose Iglesias performs “OMG” on the field after win and debut of OMG sign. June 28, 2024. Record 40-39: When the Mets defeated the Astros 7-2, the fans were treated to a postgame concert by Candelita a.k.a. Jose Iglesias. His teammates joined him on the field as he performed for the home crowd. Inspired by his performance, “OMG” became the team’s rallying cry. It was played after every home run hit and the player posed with the OMG sign when they returned to the dugout. As for the song itself, it debuted at number 1 on the Billboard charts for Latin Digital Song Sales and a remix featuring Pitbull got released during the team’s playoff run. For one year, “OMG” rivaled “Meet the Mets” as the team’s anthem.

24. Chihuahua Glizzy Iggy filmed eating a hot dog. July 9, 2024. Record 45-45: This game ended up being a crucial moment in the season. After falling to 11 games below .500 they fought their way back to around that mark a few times but July 9 is the day they remained above .500 for good. It was also the same day a stylish chihuahua was filmed eating a hot dog and so a new Mets good luck charm was adopted into the canon.

25. Jake Diekman strikes out Aaron Judge. July 23, 2024. Record 52-48: The Mets had already swept two games at Citi Field in June and now were looking to take the season series against their crosstown rivals. The team lead by one in the ninth and Carlos Mendoza turned to the much maligned Jake Diekman to pick up the save. With a runner on first and one out, Aaron Judge walked to the plate which seemed like doom for the Mets. Somehow Diekman struck him out and shut the door on the inning to give the Mets the win to take the season series. They hammered Gerrit Cole the next day and it was a season sweep for the surging Mets.

26. All Star Break. July 15-18. Record 49-46: A few notable things happened during the All-Star Break. Candelita performed “OMG” during the All-Star festivities while back at home Sean Manaea went to play catch in Central Park. He found a softball team playing and asked if they would play catch with him to keep his arm in shape during the break. They obviously agreed and the Mets’ southpaw later invited them to take in a game at Citi Field.

27. Kodai Senga makes season debut and departs with injury. July 26, 2024. Record 55-48: Senga suffered a shoulder injury in spring training and it was a long road for the Mets ace to return to the mound. He returned and looked like the same pitcher from last season until tragedy struck and he crumbled to the ground with a leg injury. It was a heartbreaker for Senga, who worked so hard to return. It looked like his season was over after just 5.1 innings. To his credit, he worked hard to return for the playoffs and hopefully he will have a great bounce back season in 2025.

28. Luis Severino complete game shutout against Miami. August 17, 2024. Record 64-59: When Severino signed in the offseason nobody knew what to expect from the former Yankee, who had an injury-plagued season the year before. He ended up having an excellent season with the Mets but his pièce de résistance came against the Marlins in August. He was brilliant that day, pitching a complete game shut out in the team’s 4-0 win. He struck out eight and allowed just four hits. In a year when the team was missing their ace for almost an entire season, both Severino and Sean Manaea picked up the slack and then some.

29. Francisco Alvarez walk-off home run against Orioles. August 19, 2024. Record 65-60: Alvarez’s season was not what everyone expected before the year began but he did have a signature moment against the Orioles. With the game tied at three in the ninth, Alvarez launched a no-doubter to win the ballgame. His swagger and exuberance returned with one swing of the bat and he reminded everyone of the potential he still has as a 22-year-old.

30. Jesse Winker walk-off home run. August 21, 2024. Record 66-61: David Stearns acquired Jesse Winker at the deadline from the Nationals as a left-handed option at DH. Winker was a fun villain for awhile when he waved to the crowd after hitting game-winning home run when he was still with the Reds. He quickly endeared himself to Mets fans when he hit a walk-off home run just two days after Alvarez’s. His epic celebration down the first base line erased all past grievances and instead made him a fan favorite in an instant.

31. Edwin Díaz gives up crushing grand slam to Corbin Carroll. August 28, 2024. Record 69-64: The Mets were in a fight with the Diamondbacks for a Wild Card spot so the series at the end of August was crucial to both teams. Sensing the urgency and with the Diamondbacks threatening in the eighth, Mendoza turned to his closer to protect a one-run lead. Unfortunately the plan did not work out when Díaz gave up a grand slam to Corbin Carroll to give Arizona the lead and eventually the win. They fell to four games behind Atlanta for the final Wild Card and it was the kind of loss that felt like a nail in the coffin for the 2024 season.

32. Mets rat at Chase Field. August 29, 2024. Record 70-64: Reporter Tim Healey found a rat costume with a Mets jersey randomly in a storage room in Chase Field. Nobody knows why is was there or what the explanation was behind it, but the Mets picked up a big win that day so it became a positive omen for the team. This one did not have the staying power of other good luck charms but its still another whimsical event that appeared just when the team’s vibes took a hit the previous night.

33. Edwin Díaz earns bounce back save against Diamondbacks. August 29, 2024. Record 70-64: One day after the brutal grand slam loss, Medoza went right back to Díaz when the Mets took the lead in the ninth inning on Jose Iglesias’s RBI hit. The closer rewarded his manager’s faith and pitched a clean inning while striking out two batters. It was a huge win since it clinched the season tiebraker with Arizona and gave them the edge over the Diamondbacks at the end of the season.

34. Jeff McNeil fractures wrist. September 6, 2024. Record 77-64: McNeil did not get off to the best start and his poor play paved the way for Jose Iglesias to seize the starting job. Things started to change in the second half of the season when he started to look like Jeff McNeil again. When he initially got hit by a 73-mph curveball on his wrist that was covered it seemed like no big deal. A MRI then revealed a fracture, ending his season. The Mets made it far enough in the playoffs where he was able to return but it was an unfortunate injury at the time that was a blow to the team.

35. Mark Vientos walk-off home run. September 6, 2024. Record 77-64: That final win against Arizona was just the start of a long winning streak. After sweeping both the White Sox and Red Sox, the Mets opened a series against the struggling Reds. With it tied at four in the tenth inning, Vientos showed off that clutch gene by blasting his second home run of the day to walk it off for the Mets to give them their eighth straight win.

36. Francisco Lindor home run in ninth to break up no-hitter against Blue Jays. September 11, 2024. Record 80-66: After splitting the first two games against Toronto, the Mets were looking to take the series but the situation was not looking great. Sean Manaea pitched will but Bowden Francis took a no-hitter into the ninth for the Blue Jays. Down 1-0, Francisco Lindor broke up both the no-hitter and the shut-out with one swing. On an 0-2 pitch, he launched one to right to give the Mets life. They ended up winning the game 6-2 but it was Lindor’s home run that served as the spark. It was a tough way to lose for Francis but it was a win the Mets needed with their star serving as the catalyst.

37. Francisco Lindor injures back against the Phillies. September 13, 2024. Record 81-66: After dramatically taking the series against the Blue Jays they had to travel to Philly for a three-game series against the first place Phillies. They got off to a great start when they hammered Aaron Nola and got off to a big lead. They were well on their way to a feel good win until their MVP went into to second base awkwardly and exited the game in the seventh with a back injury. It seemed like a devastating blow to the team who would be without their star at one of the most critical points of the season.

38. Luisangel Acuña makes his major league debut. September 14, 2024. Record 81-67: Nobody could be expected to replace Lindor in the lineup given the way he was carrying the team down the stretch. However, Acuña got the call up and filled in admirably in Lindor’s absence. He was acquired for Max Scherzer at the 2023 trade deadline and now here he was with the team, called upon in a crucial stretch. He picked up two hits in his debut and overall the youngster filled in as well as could be expected. He hit .308/.325/.641 and showed a bit of pop with the bat hitting three home runs. Thankfully Lindor was able to return but Acuña stepping up helped the Mets stay in the race while missing their top offensive player.

39. Humor, whimsy, and joy. September 18, 2024. Record 84-68: When the Mets were about to sweep the Nationals, Mets fan Jenna tweeted a seemingly innocent tweet about how this team brought an unlimited amount of humor, whimsy, and joy. An account with a large following dunked on the tweet, and Mets Twitter rallied to defend Jenna. It became a new rallying cry for the team with the Mets tweeting it and Gary Cohen referencing it. Athlete Logos also created a t-shirt with the new slogan, and after talking to Jenna, all proceeds went to A Pod of Their Own’s Dollars 4 Dingers campaign that raises money for The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The total proceeds came out to be $1000 for NDVH and no greater slogan could perfectly capture the 2024 New York Mets than Humor, Whimsy, and Joy.

40. Third base bag saves the game. September 22, 2024. Record 87-69: The Mets had to play another crucial series against the Phillies at the end of September. After dropping the most recent series in Philly, the Mets were looking for revenge at home. They went 2-1 in the first three games but were facing a challenge to take the series. It was a pitching match-up of Zack Wheeler vs. Tylor Megill as the ESPN Sunday night game. To put more pressure on the team, if the Phillies won they would clinch the division title on the Mets turf. Runs were at a premium but Brandon Nimmo broke a 1-1 tie with a key solo home run off Wheeler in the sixth. The score remained the same in the ninth with Edwin Díaz trying to nail down a six-out save. With one-out, Bryson Stott attempted to steal third from second. He made it safely but the scare came on Franciso Alvarez’s errant throw. Instead of sailing into left field and allowing the tying run to score, instead it hit the third base bag keeping Stott in place. Díaz then wriggled out of the rest of the inning, striking out Roger Clemens’s son Kody to end the game. The Grimace gods smiled down on the Mets that day.

41. Emotional support eyeblack. September 24, 2024. Record 87-70: It became more prevalent in the playoffs, but to support each other, the starting pitchers would write that day’s starter’s number in eye black on their cheeks for emotional support. According to Sean Manaea, the idea came from Jesse Winker and started in Atlanta. Whether or not it worked as a good luck charm is debatable, but it is just another example of the closeness and the wholesome vibes of the 2024 Mets.

42. Mets rained out in Atlanta. September 25-26, 2024, Record 87-70: Despite a feel good win against the Phillies, a sense of dread was looming since the Mets next opponent was the Braves in their House of Horrors. Many a promising Mets season has ended in Atlanta always leading to heartbreak among the fanbase. To make matters worse, Hurricane Helene was baring down on the area and gathering strength. Despite the forecast looking bleak well in advance of the storm, the games were not postponed until after the first game was played. The Mets dropped that game 5-1 and then had to travel to Milwaukee ahead of the storm. This set up a nightmare travel situation for the team that would have them travel from Atlanta to Milwaukee, just to travel back to Atlanta for a doubleheader, then back to Milwaukee to open the Wild Card game. The Mets managed it as best they could but it is still insane that situation was allowed to happen.

43. David Peterson to the rescue. September 29, 2024. Record 88-72: Milwaukee historically has sneakily been a nightmare for the Mets. Atlanta gets all the headlines but the Mets also tend to struggle in Milwaukee. With their season on the line, this series ended up no different. They dropped the first two games and desperately needed a win to avoid needing a sweep in the doubleheader against Atlanta the next day. That’s where David Peterson comes in. Peterson really came into his own in 2024 and with the season on his shoulders, he pitched brilliantly in the finale against the Brewers. He pitched seven shutout innings and struck out eight in the Mets’ 5-0 win. The team lived to fight another day.

44. Francisco Lindor home run to clinch a playoff spot. September 30, 2024. Record 89-72: The Mets were in trouble. Spencer Schwellenbach gave the Mets fits and they were down 3-0 heading into the eighth inning. It seemed like they were on their way to needing to win game two of the doubleheader if they wanted to play in October. Instead, they put together an epic rally and scored six runs in the eighth, capped off by Brandon Nimmo’s two-run home run. Unfortunately, just as quickly as they took the lead they lost it when the Braves rallied for four in the bottom of the inning. Ozzie Albies doubled with the bases loaded against Díaz to retake the lead for Braves. It was already enough of an emotional roller coaster but the Mets were not done yet. After Starling Marte singled, Francisco Lindor blasted the Mets into the playoffs with his decisive home run in the ninth. Old frenemy Travis d’Arnaud came up with a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, but this time Díaz did not falter and the Mets officially were in the playoffs for the second time in three years. The Mets and Braves have had many hard fought battles over the course of their history, but this one really was a game for the ages given the circumstances and all the drama that unfolded over the course of two innings.

45. Pete Alonso and playoff pumpkin defeat the Brewers. October 3, 2024. Wild Card Series 2-1: Pete Alonso’s time with the Mets was almost up. If the game ended in a loss, he might never put on a Mets uniform again. The Mets were losing 2-0 and facing one of the best closers in the game in the ninth. After struggling most of September and in the first two games of the series, the game was now all on Alonso’s powerful shoulders. Both Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo got on so the table was set for him to have a signature Mets moment. With a powerful swing and a powerful scream the Polar Bear delivered. It was a storybook moment that every fan and player dreams of but it was playing out in real time for the elated fans. They did add on a run and Díaz did shut the door, but it was Pete’s moment and his game. Not only was it memorable it was historic. It was the first time in major league history that a player hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning in an elimination game. The team did not repeat the poor performance of the 2022 team that Alonso was a part of, instead they delivered a moment that will forever live on in Mets history.

During the champagne celebration after the game, Alonso revealed the humble playoff pumpkin that he picked himself.

46. Sean Manaea pitches with a heavy heart. October 8, 2024. NLDS Game 3, 2-1: The Mets managed to split the series in Philadelphia, but there was still a letdown after the fireworks of Game 2 lead to a loss. Sean Manaea was the Game 3 starter and had the pressure of not letting the bad vibes continue, while also starting the first playoff game at Citi Field in 2024. Manaea was magnificent helped out by Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker’s home runs. It was still 2-0 in the sixth inning when Manaea put the first two runners on with Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos coming up. Manaea handled the situation brilliantly and struck out Harper and induced a double play from Castellanos. He let out an emotional scream when he exited the field and when his night was done an inning later he blew a kiss to the sky. After the team won the game 7-2, Manaea revealed his aunt passed away that day and the kiss to the heavens was for her.

47. Francisco Lindor sends the Phillies home with a grand slam. October 11, 2024. NLDS, 3-1: The Mets had never clinched a playoff series at Citi Field in their history and the last time they clinched a playoff series at home was in 2000. They had a chance to finally give the Citi Field crowd a celebration when they took a 2-1 lead over the Phillies in the NLDS. Game 2 and Mark Vientos’s game-tying home run in the ninth would have been one of the more epic games in Mets history if they pulled out a win, but unfortunately things did not work out. Instead they took care of business in Game 3 and now were looking to close the series without having to go back to Philadelphia and face Zack Wheeler in Game 5. The Mets maddeningly kept blowing chance after chance in the early innings and the Phillies took advantage and went ahead 1-0. With nobody else coming up with the big hit, Francisco Lindor once again was the hero the Mets needed in the sixth inning. It was the second playoff grand slam of his career and technically the second playoff grand slam in Mets history. Once the Mets took the lead they shut down the Phillies and sent the first place Phillies home. It was the first time the two heated rivals faced off in the playoffs and the Mets came out victorious. It added just a little extra sweetness to the thrilling playoff victory.

48. Mark Vientos grand slam. October 14, 2024. Game 2 NLCS, 1-1: The Dodgers easily took Game 1 and shutout the Mets 9-0. Going back to their series with the Padres they had a scoreless streak going which Lindor quickly ended when he hit a leadoff home run in Game 2. The Dodgers did not want to get bit twice by Lindor so they intentionally walked him ahead of Mark Vientos to load the bases. Afterwards, Vientos said he took that move personally and gave the team an early 5-0 lead when he sent a ball over the right centerfield wall. The Mets went from officially having just one postseason grand slam in its history to now having three in just over the course of three games. Outside of Lindor, Vientos stepped up in a big way when the calendar flipped to October. The Mets may have lost the series but they learned something about their young third baseman who shined under the bright lights of the playoffs.

49. “My Girl” and the Temptations. October 18, 2024. Game 5 NLCS, 3-2: The Mets were facing elimination after winning just one game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles and losing two straight at home. In late May, Lindor adopted the song “My Girl” by The Temptations as his walk-up song as a tribute to his daughters, and during the playoff run and in the playoffs it took on a life of its own. The crowd sang along every at bat and continued singing even after the music ended. So who better to sing the National Anthem for Game 5 than The Temptations themselves followed by a performance of their classic song. It was a beautiful way to start a playoff game but there was still a bit of nervousness in the air since it was an elimination game. Pete Alonso helped dissipate that some with his first inning home run and the Mets avoided losing in front of the home crowd. The 2024 team gave fans one last memorable game to hold onto until the final curtain fell on an incredible season.

50. The season ends. October 20, 2024. NLCS 4-2: October 20 was not the Mets night. They gave everything they had over a long season and an exhilarating playoff run, but it wasn’t enough against a stacked Dodger team that became the eventual World Series champions. It really was an unique, one-in-a million season that won’t be seen again for quite some time.

Social media stars Hailey Welch, who gained fame, for uhhh, reasons, and The Rizzler were two others who passed through the doors of Citi Field and are considered minor stones in the Mets Grimace Gauntlet.

This also season introduced the City Connect uniforms, the Queens Crew, and Buddy their latest service dog-in-training named after Bud Harrelson who passed away in January. The Mets family also lost the great Willie Mays and Ed Kranepool in 2024.

With the World Series over and the offseason upon us decisions will have to be made about the 2025 team. But first I’ll leave you with the words of the incomparable Howie Rose who summed this team up best. “When you think about what the 2024 Mets were about, you won’t be able to keep yourself from smiling.”