A large chunk of the Mets’ expenditures is dead money, with the club covering more than $50 million of salary for pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, both traded in 2023.

Nothing about it would be easy. The Dodgers had the best record in the majors at 98-64. The Yankees were third at 94-68. In the only time they met this season, the Dodgers won the series, 2-1, and outscored the Yankees 17-10.

All throughout the National League Championship Series, as Los Angeles Dodgers hitters took pitch after pitch outside the strike zone and jammed up the diamond with base runner after base runner, the resolve of the New York Mets tried to withstand the barrage to keep their season alive.