LOS ANGELES Take a bow, Mets. Youve done us proud. On only above-average overall talent but extraordinary heart and guts and a marvelous ability to overcome leads and odds, you wrote a wonderfully exciting script for October. Unfortunately, the story was cut a couple games short of that fairytale ending. There will be no Subway Series. But there should be no heartache here, either. The Mets have nothing to be ashamed of. They played great October baseball against three teams with more wins, a higher standing and far greater expectations. Francisco Lindor, Kodai Senga and Francisco Alvarez of the Mets react on the mound during the eighth inning. Jason Szenes / New York Post Mets third baseman Mark Vientos and Harrison Bader, remain in the dugout as the Dodgers celebrate after beating the Mets to advance to the World Series. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post They did it almost all on the edge, but you can only live for so long on the edge. You can only stage so many comebacks before the burden becomes overwhelming, the task too tall. You can only win so many elimination games as a team allegedly in transition before the jig is up and its time to start preparing for next season. You cant keep coming back game after game. That just doesnt happen. Not in the major leagues it doesnt. There were a few teary eyes in the clubhouse after the eliminated them two wins short of the World Series. But there were mostly hugs all around. They were more for a job well done than expre sions of condolence. They are a group that played together and stuck together. A dejected Mr. Mets looks on at the Mets watch party at Citi Field Stephen Yang No one expected us to be here, J.D. Martinez said. Im so proud of these guys, the way we fought all year. When youre a team that had to wait until the last day of the season (actually the day after the last day) to qualify for this derby, you can only keep the Shohei Ohtani/Mookie Betts Dodgers down for so many games before they break out and run away. The Dodgers are the ones who will face the Yankees, who got another break. They dont love facing lefties (the Dodgers are almost all right) and didnt beat the Mets once. But thats just water under the Whitestone now. Sean Manaea of the Mets is pulled from the game during Riley O'brien Jersey the third inning of Game 6 on Oct. 24, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Major League Baseball got the biggest break of all. After enduring Arizona vs. Texas (a draw to nobody outside the dust bowl), now MLB gets its dreamiest marquee matchup. Ohtani and Betts vs. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. The 2024 World Series is like a convention of superstars. MLB wont say it aloud, but this is their happiest scenario to top a wonderful postseason. The Mets were a big part of this postseason from heaven. From Pete Alonsos wild card-winning home run that turned almost certain defeat into victory to Francisco Lindors grand slam that sent Philly packing to Mark Vientos slam right here in Dodger Stadium that gave the Mets the upper hand, temporarily anyway, before reality finally set in. The Mets have nothing to regret. The Dodgers are the better team. Even with two-thirds of their better starters out, they are the more talented roster. Jeff McNeil of the Mets to ses his bat after he strikes out with the bases loaded during the third inning of Game 6 on Oct. 24, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post The Mets had their chances in the deciding game. They left multiple runners on base in many innings. They can dream about what might have been. But realistically, they were outscored 37-7 in the four NLCS lo ses. So no sense thinking they should have won. Thats just not true. The Mets managed the game appropriately, like the must-win game it was. Sean Manaea, not at his best, lasted just two-plus innings, his shortest outing since before he was a Met. Edwin Diaz entered to face Ohtani to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Rookie manager Carlos Mendoza did what he could. His choices, and almost all their choices, were right. They were the longest lasting of the trio of Cinderella stories, staying past the Royals and Tigers. They should feel good about themselves. Theres a lot to be proud of, Brandon Nimmo said. Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits an RBI double during the ninth inning of Game 6 on Oct. 20, 2024. Jason Szenes / New York Post Some might not like the idea of the big-market Mets as underdogs. But while their payroll technically is $340 million, they also have a record $90M in dead money, thanks to a wild earlier spending spree. With the dead money coming off the books next year, look for the Mets to make some big moves this winter and to put a little more thought into it than they did a few years back. There will be no more record contracts for aging Hall of Famers. The money will be better spent. The Mets have to figure out if they can come to an agreement with homegrown slugging star Pete Alonso. They should want to bring back Manaea after he inevitably opts out, and they should look into the same for Luis Severino and perhaps Jose Quintana, too. Theyll need to rebuild a pitching staff with a lot of expiring contracts. But fortunately, they have just the duo to keep this going and to get back here year after year. Owner Steve Cohen has the wherewithal and hes wised up quickly, and David Stearns, president of baseball operations should do even better once the wraps are off and he has a key to the vault. The past few weeks were a spectacular surprise. The future promises to be even better. Ryan Helsley Jersey