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

Now begins the part of the year looking ahead to 2025: making free agent selection decisions. The biggest question mark heading into the offseason is first baseman Pete Alonso.

Alonso played his first full season in Queens in 2019, breaking Yankees slugger Aaron Judge’s single-season rookie home run record (51) as he hit 53 home runs with 120 RBIs.

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

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

His performance this season and overall downward trend doesn’t justify that kind of payday. In 2024, Alonso slashed .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs, low production by his standard.

If Alonso wants to be a ‘forever Met’ as he has been proclaimed all season, he will have to take less than his reported asking price. The feeling is that the first baseman will be willing to – and eventually it will be done – for the Mets.

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While the Mets can’t do anything until after the World Series ends, we can speculate on upcoming players with expiring contracts who likely won’t return next season.

Let’s discuss five of them and make our way-too-early predictions about their future in Queens.

LUIS SEVERINO

Severino exceeded expectations this year, making 34 starts, throwing 198 2/3 innings in the playoff count and striking out 174 batters, his highest total since 2018. He did this by overhauling his approach, 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 rate, his highest since 2017. He accomplished this by increasing his sinker usage from 2.8% last season to 24.8% this season.

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

Prediction: Severino will get a multi-year deal elsewhere worth about $14 million AAV.

JOZE QUINTANA

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

Quintana, 35, generated success without plus speed and overwhelming off-speed stuff. He did this by nibbling at the corners and painting it black, never letting the moment, big or small, get to him.

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

ADAM OTTAVINO

Ottavino is one of two relievers to survive the Mets’ midseason bullpen remake. He may not survive the offseason bullpen realignment.

After taking a pay cut to return to the Mets last season, Ottavino put together a subpar season. 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 did some television work for the first time last season, an indication that he may be looking for a career change at this point in his life — he turns 39 on Nov. 22.

Prediction: Ottavino is retiring from the sport, leaving a 14-year MLB career with his head held high.

J.D. MARTINEZ

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

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

This combined with his comments recently about his lack of playing time in the postseason, saying Mendoza “obviously has no confidence in me,” would indicate he will be playing elsewhere next season.

Prediction: Martinez signs a one-year contract. However, he will have to be willing to take a pay cut if he wants to keep playing. Maybe a one-year, $9 million deal will do.

HARRISON BADER

Bader has accomplished exactly what the Mets expected of him this season. While Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns hoped to improve the defense in the middle, the Bronxville native provided the team with elite defense in center field.

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

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

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