LOS ANGELES – The Mets are eliminated from the postseason, capping off a season no one expected from the Amazins, who have been the best team in baseball for the last four months and reached Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.

Now begins the part of the year that looks ahead to 2025: decisions on the free agent roster. The biggest question mark heading into the offseason is first baseman Pete Alonso.

Alonso played his first full season in Queens in 2019 and broke Yankees slugger Aaron Judge's single-season rookie home run record (51) when he hit 53 home runs with 120 RBIs.

Since then, he has become one of the most powerful hitters in baseball: his 226 home runs are the most by an NL player since his debut.

While the homegrown Met has expressed his love for New York and his desire to stay, a June report from USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale said he is “expected to seek at least $200 million” as a free agent this winter. That price will likely mean Alonso never wears a Mets uniform again.

His performance this season and overall downward trend do not justify such a payday. In 2024, Alonso posted a record .240/.329/.459 average with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs, a low output by his standards.

If Alonso wants to be a “forever Met,” as he has proclaimed all season long, he will have to take less than the listed price. There's a feeling the first baseman will be ready to do it – and ultimately it will get done for the Mets.

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While the Mets can't do anything until after the World Series is complete, we can speculate about up-and-coming players with expiring contracts who likely won't return next season.

Let's go through five points and make our way-too-early predictions about their future in Queens.

LUIS SEVERINO

Severino exceeded expectations this year by making 34 starts, throwing 198 2/3 innings counting the playoffs and striking out 174 batters, all his highest totals since 2018. He did it by refocusing his approach and throwing to contact rather than relying on strikeouts – His 21.2% strikeout rate in the regular season was the second lowest of his career.

During the regular season, the 30-year-old right-hander posted a 45.2% ground ball percentage, his highest since 2017. He achieved this by increasing his sinker usage from 2.8% last season to 24.8% this one season increased.

Severino was 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA, making him a perfect option in the middle of the rotation.

Forecast: Severino will receive a multi-year contract elsewhere worth around $14 million AAV.

JOSE QUINTANA

Quintana brought consistency to the Mets for two seasons, posting a 3.70 ERA in 44 starts. This season, he stepped up when the Mets needed him most, allowing four runs (three earned) in the final six regular-season starts (36 1/3 innings) for a 0.74 ERA.

Quintana, 35, achieved success without excess speed and overwhelming off-speed stuff. He did this by nibbling at the corners and painting the paint black, never letting the moment, big or small, overwhelm him.

Forecast: Quintana will continue to play in the major leagues. He will receive a one-year contract worth approximately $8 million. His contract could include an option for a second year.

ADAM OTTAVINO

Ottavino is one of two relievers who survived the Mets' midseason bullpen makeover. He may not survive the offseason bullpen reshuffle.

After Ottavino took a pay cut last offseason to return to the Mets, the season was subpar. In 60 appearances, he posted a 4.34 ERA, his highest since the 2020 season, with 70 strikeouts in 56 innings. Batters hit .230 against him, his highest since 2021, when batters hit .239 against him.

Ottavino made his first television appearance last offseason, an indication that he may be looking for a career change at this point in his life – he turns 39 on November 22nd.

Forecast: Ottavino retires from the game, leaving a 14-year MLB career with his head held high.

JD MARTINEZ

Martinez gave the Mets an offensive spark in his first 50 games with the team. At that point, he was batting .290 with an .870 OPS, nine home runs and 32 RBIs.

Afterwards he fell into a long crisis. Over the next 70 games, he hit .194 with a .618 OPS with seven home runs and 37 RBIs. As a result, Martinez effectively lost his starting DH job to left-hander Jesse Winker in the postseason.

This coupled with his recent comments about his lack of playing time in the postseason, in which he said that Mendoza “obviously doesn't have confidence in me,” suggests he will play elsewhere next season.

Forecast: Martinez will sign a one-year contract. However, he must be prepared to take a pay cut if he wants to continue playing. Maybe a one-year, $9 million deal is enough.

HARRISON BADER

Bader accomplished exactly what the Mets wanted him to do this season. David Stearns, the Mets' president of baseball operations, hoped to improve the upper-middle field defense, and the Bronxville native provided the team with elite center field defense.

Additionally, Bader stayed healthy this season and played the most games of his career (143).

What Bader lacked, however, was an offensive presence. In 437 regular-season plate appearances, he slashed .236/.284/.373 and posted a below-average OPS+ of 86.

Forecast: Bader will sign a one-year contract with another organization.