Eulogizing the 2015 New York Mets

We gather here today, in front of a regular season crowd of 2,569,753 paid New York Mets fans, to eulogize a team nobody saw coming.

The 2015 Mets gave a new generation a chance to see their team in the World Series. Even though it didn’t end so well, for most people under 25, it’s the only time they remember seeing the franchise make it to the finals.

There’s a reason why the 1986 club and even members of the 1969 team remain so far at the forefront of our minds. Those two teams won the only championships in Mets history. For this, they continue to live on. Younger Mets fans who never got to see them, particularly those not around for the 2000 run, have given their hearts to the 2015 squad.

However, other than Jacob deGrom, all remnants of that awesome year have now left.

Eulogizing the 2015 New York Mets

A few members from this World Series team were present in 2021. Outfield Michael Conforto remained and for two innings, there was Noah Syndergaard. These two lifelong Mets parted in free agency with Syndergaard finding a new home and Conforto likely to do the same when the MLB offseason resumes. These two core members of the franchise over the last few seasons were rookies back in 2015 that seemed like they could one day capture an MVP or Cy Young.

Neither ever came close.

The 2015 Mets had one other representative with the franchise in this most recent season. Jeurys Familia may not have spent all 2015-2021 as a member of the team. A brief spot with the Oakland Athletics in late 2018 was just a temporary departure from the ball club. He would return on a three-year deal that December, a fraction of the dominant closer he was way back in 2015.

The 2015 MLB season doesn’t feel like it took all that long ago. In six years, the Mets have changed a lot. So have the players from the ball club.

Matt Harvey has never been the same. Daniel Murphy, Curtis Granderson, and David Wright have all retired. Yoenis Cespedes is in some weird baseball limbo where he hasn’t played since 2020 but always seems to have some video online around February showing that he can still hit.

Not all members of the 2015 Mets have seen their careers flash before their eyes.

Travis d’Arnaud won a World Series this past season with the Atlanta Braves and seems to have developed into the kind of catcher we always hoped he would—except with a rival. Kevin Plawecki has grown into a decent backup with a pretty good bat. Then there’s Wilmer Flores. He continues to hit with whatever team he plays for.

Memories of the 2015 Mets will stick with fans forever even as members leave, find new uniforms, and retire from the game. Only deGrom remains. And as lonely as it may be, maybe he’ll help represent the next Mets World Series club, too.