LOS ANGELES — There was a different feeling in the Mets clubhouse on Sunday night. After being eliminated from the postseason for the first time in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium, players had to face the reality that they might never play together again.

The Mets could look very different next season as up to twelve players are headed to free agency; Phil Maton has a club option worth $7.75 million. One of those players, JD Martinez, appears to be considering the possibility of returning to baseball altogether.

“I don’t know. I’m going to go home and enjoy my time and see my daughter for the second time. I haven’t held her since she was born,” Martinez said of his future. “And then just start training, step it up and see what happens. If something happens, it happens. If something doesn’t work, it doesn’t happen and you go from there.

“For me, it’s one of those things where I don’t come back because I’m begging to come back. I’ll come back because it makes sense. Ultimately, time is the most valuable thing there is. It has to be worth my time.”

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In his 14-year career, Martinez has slashed .283/.348/.516 with 331 home runs and 1,071 RBIs. He earned six All-Star nominations, three Silver Slugger Awards and a World Series trophy with the 2018 Red Sox.

This season, he dipped offensively, hitting .235/.320/.406, which represents his lowest slash line since the 2020 season, but he still enjoyed his unique experience with the Mets.

“Yes, these guys are great. I enjoyed it here,” said Martinez. “How can you not want to come back after the year we’ve had? This is a clubhouse that is not full of egos. I’ve never… I’ve been to a lot of clubhouses. But this clubhouse is different because I felt like everyone was a family.”

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LUIS SEVERINO

This season’s performance has exceeded even Severino’s own expectations. The Dominican Republic-born right-hander has struggled to stay healthy for years. The last time he pitched a full season was in 2018.

In 31 regular season starts with the Mets, Severino pitched 182 innings and posted a 3.91 ERA. He then got three starts for 16 2/3 in the playoffs, where he posted a 3.24 ERA. He reinvented himself into a sinkerball pitcher who throws to make contact and relies less on strikeouts; his 21.2% strikeout rate during the regular season was the second-lowest of his career.

So what is Severino thinking as he heads to free agency for the second time in as many years?

“I don’t know,” Severino said with real uncertainty. “Right now, after we leave tomorrow, I’m not going to think about baseball or buy a baseball. I have to trust my agent and everything he’s going to do.

While with the Mets, Severino created a close bond with his teammates, especially his lockermate Sean Manaea. Before Manaea’s Game 2 against the Dodgers started, reporters saw Severino with Manaea’s No. 59 in eye black under his eyes.

Severino was also the keeper of the “OMG” sign that batters posed with after a home run. The sign sat next to his locker for most of the season.

The 30-year-old right-hander pitched his entire career in New York: nine MLB seasons with the Yankees and one with the Mets. How much of a factor does playing in New York factor into his decision-making in free agency?

“For me, first and foremost it’s about what’s best for my family and at the end of the day I want to compete,” Severino said. “I want to be part of a team that wants to win a World Series, that gives everything they have every time they step on the field. So I have to take that into account.

“I think there were a lot of guys that came from other teams that knew how to win and knew what it takes to win, so I’ll keep that in mind in the offseason as well.”

JOZE QUINTANA

Like Martinez, Quintana is uncertain about his future. Not only does he not have the things big league teams look for in pitchers, but he will also be 36 years old at the start of next season.

“I think next year,” Quintana began, “I don’t know what will happen to me.”

In two seasons with the Mets, Quintana was the model of consistency. In 44 regular season starts, he posted a 3.70 ERA with a 1.26 ERA and 195 strikeouts.

This season he stepped up when the team needed him most. Over his last six regular season starts, as the Mets attempted to reach the playoffs, Quintana allowed three runs in 36 1/3 innings (0.74 ERA).

The trend continued in his first two postseason starts, where he combined 11 innings without an earned run. In his last postseason start, against the Dodgers, he allowed five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Although he would like to continue to call Citi Field his home, Quintana cannot commit to the future because it is out of his control.

“The time I spent here was great, let’s see,” Quintana said. “I feel great and I want to keep doing my thing. Let’s see what the future brings.”