When the season began, there were plenty of reasons to believe the path to the Mets ending their World Series title drought, even if they played to expectations, would be difficult. 

You had the defending champion Dodgers — who, after assembling a superteam on paper last winter, seemed destined to win 110 games. The Phillies were the defending NL East champions, bolstered by a potentially elite rotation. And the perennially strong Braves were getting Ronald Acuña Jr. back.

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Simply, trying to win the National League pennant would be a minefield for the Mets, even if they got to October with a very good team. But you examine the landscape now and see an opportunity was lost for the Mets with their disappointing season.

The Dodgers look solid but are hardly the invincible machine that appeared built following a winter spree that included Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki and Tanner Scott arriving. Even when the Dodgers got relatively healthy late in the season, they struggled to hold off the Padres for the NL West title.