I can’t say ‘never in my wildest dreams’ did I think about the Mets advancing to the NLCS.

I can't really ever say that, and certainly not this season.

This is literally all I dream about.

From February through October, and sometimes November through January, I spend idle moments thinking about when the Mets will have their turn at being among the top teams in baseball.

This 2024 team is making my dreams come true.

Before they played the role of dream-makers on Wednesday night, though, the Mets reminded us a little bit about the nightmare fuel they’ve provided at times.

They could not scratch a run across despite constant threats in the early innings, leaving the bases loaded twice and wasting leadoff baserunners.

There was a frustrating stat at one point after the Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the 4th (on an error no less!) that they were leading with just a couple of hits while the Mets had left I think triple that amount of guys on base.

There was a feeling like they were going to waste another great outing by Jose Quintana and have to face another dramatic elimination game.

But it started to feel a little bit like things were swinging the Mets way in the 6th inning. First, after Quintana was pulled with Bryce Harper on second base after a leadoff double, Reed Garrett and David Peterson combined to put out the threat and strand him.

In the bottom half of the 6th the Phillies made the curious decision to stick with Jeff Hoffman, who came in in the 5th inning. And they stuck with him even though he was all over the place: He gave up a leadoff single to J.D. Martinez, threw a wild pitch, hit Starling Marte, threw another wild pitch, and then walked Tyrone Taylor to load the bases before he was pulled.

The Phillies played a little sloppily in the field all series, and the decision-making seemed questionable. Everything just seemed a little off their game in this series. It was strange to watch from the other side.

Anyway, Hoffman got Francisco Alvarez to ground into a fielder’s choice, with the out at home. Then another questionable decision came to light when they brought in Carlos Estevez - who pitched Tuesday in what was essentially garbage time - to face Francisco Lindor. Lindor doubled off Estevez Tuesday in an at-bat where he could have faced a mop-up guy.

Did that factor into what ensued? Who knows. But Lindor hit a grand slam, putting the Mets up to stay, 4-1.

I’ve tweeted this and said it in other areas, I’m not sure I’ve written it here yet: What Francisco Lindor has done all season, but particularly the past 10 days, is - in the sports sense of the word and not the greater worldly sense of the word - heroic.

It’s amazing to watch him and I suspect he’s in great pain or discomfort in his back and that scares me because of David Wright but he is playing through it at a level that is hard to believe.

David Peterson held the lead through the 8th inning. I would have sent him back out there for the 9th - he only threw 23 pitches - but Edwin Diaz came in and got the save…after walking the first two batters he faced. (Ha. I just noticed Diaz also threw 23 pitches in his one inning of work.)

It’s not that I don’t believe in Diaz. I just think he’s been asked to do so much lately. He could have sat this one out - Peterson was in control.

But it doesn’t matter. Just like I was wondering if Martinez should have had a pinch runner in the 6th - Carlos Mendoza hardly makes a wrong call. So I trust him.

And the Mets got to celebrate at Citi Field - the first time that has happened since the ballpark opened in 2009.

I’m watching the later games and not really rooting for a specific matchup because that’s sometimes bad karma…but I will root for a 5th game between the Dodgers and Padres because the Mets deserve to have the pitching advantage for a change.

And I have a few final notes:

1) I love that the ‘Mets have never lost an NLDS’ stat continues. They’re 5-0 in those series.

2) The Mets have never lost to the Phillies in the post-season, haha.

3) Bryce Harper is amazing. He deserves a World Series championship. I hope he gets one. But I’m glad it’s not happening this year.

4) It is exciting to think about the Mets with the opportunity to line everything up the way they want. Sean Manaea will be on full rest for Game 1, Luis Severino will be well rested, and so will Kodai Senga. Everything can fall into place after that. David Peterson could be huge out of the bullpen to match up against Shohei Ohtani if it’s the Dodgers.

Lots to think about. I can use the rest the next couple of nights waiting for the NLCS.

But I can’t wait.

Let’s Go Mets!