Mets excited to finally return home as ‘rocking’ Citi Field gets 1st NLDS games since 2015

Carlos Mendoza insisted on multiple occasions during the Mets’ final homestand in September that his team would return to play in Queens this season.

It seems like a baseball season ago the manager issued that guarantee of sorts.

In the 16 days since, the Mets traveled to Atlanta and played once, had two games postponed by Hurricane Helene, played three games in Milwaukee, returned to Atlanta for a doubleheader that included clinching a postseason berth, returned to Milwaukee and won a wild-card series in three dramatic games and split the first two games of the NLDS in Philadelphia before returning home.

Got all that?

“We’ve had to go through a lot of things just to get here,” Sean Manaea said Monday following an optional team workout at Citi Field. “At the same time, it’s the belief in each other, this team, this organization. I don’t think anybody in that clubhouse doubted it for a second.”

Manaea will get the ball for Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday against the Phillies, as the Mets for the second time in this postseason try to avoid losing consecutive games.

The stakes were much higher the last time, when a loss to the Brewers would have ended their season.

Follow The Post’s coverage of the Mets in the postseason:

• Heyman: Scuffling Edwin Diaz still the Mets’ best option
• Kodai Senga could be a Mets option for NLDS Game 5
• Mets still struggling to find a Bryce Harper solution in NLDS
• Mets’ bullpen falls short in NLDS Game 2 with taxing sprint adding up

But falling into a 2-1 hole against the NL East champions in a best-of-five series would hardly be advisable.

Home cooking can’t hurt.

“It feels like we have been on the road forever,” Mendoza said. “But the fact that we’re here and not only have a great opportunity to play meaningful games, playoff games, here in October in front of our fan base is exciting.”

The next two games will bring the NLDS to Queens for the first time since 2015, when the Mets split two games at home against the Dodgers before returning to Los Angeles to finish the job.

The Mets last played postseason games at home in 2022, when the Padres won the wild-card series with two victories in three games.

Francisco Lindor, who was absent from the lineup with back soreness when the Mets won three of four against the Phillies to close the home schedule before amped crowds last month, said he’s anticipating even greater energy in the ballpark Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Mets Nation is going to come in and bring a lot of energy and passion and I’m looking forward to it,” Lindor said.

The Mets welcomed Monday’s off-day as an opportunity to reset a bullpen that has pitched to mixed results in the series.

On Saturday, the team received lockdown relief (one run over seven innings) from David Peterson, Reed Garrett, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek.

A day later, Edwin Diaz folded in the eighth before Tylor Megill allowed the game-winning run in the ninth.

“We’ve been on the good side and now on the bad side,” Mendoza said. “But that is what makes baseball such a beautiful sport and probably the best sport. You can’t predict baseball, you just have to enjoy it.”

The Mets will hope for length from Manaea, who lasted only five innings in his wild-card series start against the Brewers.

The lefty allowed two earned runs on six hits in the no-decision.

Manaea emerged as the Mets ace in the second half of the season, when he pitched to a 3.48 ERA in 14 starts.

In his last start against the Phillies, on Sept. 21, he allowed three earned runs over seven innings.

“I expect it to be crazy,” Manaea said. “I was here in ’22 [with the Padres] and it was wild for sure. This place can definitely be rocking. The last couple of games we had here were pretty amazing.”