"It's cruel. It really is" - New York Mets manager Buck Showalter comments on the heartbreaking wildcard round playoff elimination after 101 regular season wins

The New York Mets were unceremoniously bounced from the 2022 MLB postseason in the very first round by the San Diego Padres. This was the cap on a late-season collapse from the Mets that resulted in the loss of the National League East crown. Without a division title, the talented Mets had to play a three-game series with their season on the line.

After losing the series, the only term to describe Mets players and fans was despondent. Among them, of course, is their manager, Buck Showalter. Showalter has done it all in the MLB, and is better versed in the heartbreak baseball can cause than almost everybody.

His postgame comments were reported by Andy McCullough of The Athletic and posted via Twitter.

"It’s cruel. It really is" - Buck Showalter

The New York Mets led the NL East for so long that many believed the division was wrapped up months ago. It took a historic run from the Atlanta Braves to catch the Mets in the standings and eventually overtake them. This final loss was difficult for many in the organization to deal with.

MLB posted this highlight package from the final game of the New York Mets' strong 2022.

Slugger Pete Alonso talked about not only the pain of losing, but the pain of knowing the team will not be the same in the near future. The comments were reported by Tim Healey via Twitter.

"It hurts. It really hurts. It’s not just the losing. It’s the disbanding of the group. Because every single guy in this clubhouse is really awesome. It just sucks that you know it’s not going to be the same group next year" - Pete Alonso

Now with their season over, it is time for Buck Showalter and the New York Mets to look ahead to the future.

The New York Mets have numerous stars hitting free agency this offseason

Wild Card Series - San Diego Padres v New York Mets - Game Two

The Mets that we saw in 2022 will likely look wildly different in 2023, as Pete Alonso alluded to. Star pitchers Jacob deGrom and Edwin Diaz are both going to become free agents. Given their extremely high talent and skill level, they will be highly sought after.

Star pitcher deGrom was asked about his future plans immediately after the game, but declined to give a concrete answer.

"I'm not gonna discuss any contract stuff. Just disappointed we lost the baseball game tonight" - Jacob deGrom

If the Mets are unable to retain their services, getting back to 100 wins becomes all the more difficult. There are a lot of questions surrounding the future of the Mets' lineup, and only time will tell how they turn out.