The 2024 New York Mets season is one for the books.
The early months of the season were brutal for the Mets. The team started off with a 0-5 record and reached what seemed to be “rock bottom” by April—when they were 11 games under the .500 win percentage. The team was playing so poorly that there were barely any fans in the stands, and people were beginning to question whether changes in management were necessary. Star players Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso struggled significantly in both offense and defense early in the season. However, as summer heated up, so did the Mets.
Key minor league call-ups, including Mark Vientos and José Iglesias, brought new energy and big plays, sparking a season-changing momentum.
Multiple good-luck charms appeared for the Mets throughout the course of the season. The first of these was Grimace, the McDonald’s mascot, throwing out the first pitch on June 12th. Once Grimace threw out the first pitch, the Mets went on a seven-game win streak. For the rest of the season, the team went 49-27 (.648)—the best record in the MLB during that stretch.
Another source of inspiration for the team came from second baseman José Iglesias. Iglesias started the season in the minors with little hope of returning to the majors. The Mets finally gave him a shot, calling him up on May 31st. During the season he released a song titled ‘OMG’ on streaming platforms, under the name ‘Candelita’. After the Mets defeated the Astros 7-2 on June 28, the MLB player/Latin pop singer had an on-the-field concert at Citi Field. This game and concert marked the beginning of 50-34 streak for the remainder of the Mets’ season.
As ‘Candelita’ and Grimace boosted team spirit, the Mets kept adding more special elements along the way. Pete Alonso, Mets’ first baseman, introduced his playoff pumpkin, and the ‘OMG’ sign—inspired by the Latin Billboard chart-topping song— became a mainstay that the Mets players would hold up after home runs.
The 2024 Mets not only turned their season around but made it all the way to the National League Championship Series (NLCS), where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. With all the magic behind them, this once-doubted Mets squad made a special run their fans will never forget.
