NEW YORK — An hour after their 101-win season ended with a 6–0 loss to the Padres in a decisive Game 3 of the National League wild-card series, the Mets played pool. They sipped on Corona and Bud Heavy as they signed jerseys for one another. Pending free agents teased one another about how much money they would make. First baseman Pete Alonso sauntered through the clubhouse in cowboy boots and a black leather jacket; “Goddamn, Peter!” shortstop Francisco Lindor complimented him. Game 3 starter Chris Bassitt joked that he would spend the rest of the night there. Game 2 starter Jacob deGrom, who has said he plans to opt out of his contract this winter, bantered with reliever David Peterson about deGrom’s poor text message etiquette. If there were tears, they were dry before the media was allowed in.
“I’ve been through this a lot now,” said reliever Adam Ottavino, who has played in—and lost in—four postseasons, with the Rockies, the Yankees, the Red Sox and now the Mets. “This wasn’t the most devastated team I’ve been on, because it’s kind of early in the process. We didn’t get that close to tasting the finish line.”
It was in some ways a stunning loss: All those 101 victories, second-most in franchise history, bought New York was a chance to get knocked out by the 89-win Padres over the course of 27 innings. On Oct. 6, the Mets seemed to be a World Series contender. Three days later, they were packing their lockers.
