The scrappy, feisty, big-hearted Mets, with a price tag of $330 million, unfortunately couldn’t clinch a sweep in the Subway Series due to a challenging pitching matchup. Despite this setback, the resilient team from Queens should be commended for enduring a grueling week and managing to maintain a winning record amidst adversity.

Manager Carlos Mendoza’s resourcefulness in navigating the pitching staff, which includes a rotating cast of players who have been designated for assignment or are on the verge of it, enabled the Mets to secure victories in two consecutive series against formidable opponents. Despite having five starting pitchers sidelined with injuries and frequently turning to relatively unknown hurlers, the Mets continued to press forward with determination and resolve.

The Mets’ ability to outperform both the overachieving Brewers and the underperforming Yankees is a noteworthy achievement. In the final game of the Subway Series, where the $218 million Yankees’ ace Max Fried squared off against yet another Mets bullpen game, the odds seemed stacked against the Mets. However, they defied expectations and approached the game with a competitive spirit, refusing to concede defeat easily.

“It was a helluva series. Even on a day like this, the guys fought back,” Mendoza said after the 6-4 defeat to the Yankees. “We got down and they kept fighting … proud of the guys.”