Everything Rob Thomson, Bryce Harper and Phillies said after NLDS heartbreaker

Oh, how the other half lives.

While the New York Mets live to see another day, the Philadelphia Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs, thanks to their National League East rival.

On Wednesday, the Mets beat the Phillies 4-1 in front of their home crowd at Citi Field, advancing to the National League Championship Series (NLCS). It marks the first time since 2015 that New York reached this stage of October baseball. So, understandably, vibes are high in the Big Apple.

Meanwhile, the Phillies are reasonably in their feels upon falling short of their ultimate goal -- winning the World Series. Entering the 2024 MLB postseason, Philadelphia had high hopes. After all, they earned the second seed in the NL playoff picture. So, the sentiment in the clubhouse is more failure than anything.

Ostensibly, it's a tale of two cities at the moment. Perhaps nothing highlights the stark contrast in moods than Phillies manager Rob Thomson and Philadelphia star slugger Bryce Harper's postgame comments.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB.

Everything Rob Thomson, Bryce Harper said after Phillies postseason elimination

To kick off his postgame press conference, Thomson was asked about the frustration he and the Phillies feel about their early exit despite having title aspirations. The Philly skipper didn't hide his displeasure, though he commended his team for handling the expectations as they did.

"Very," Thomson stated, concerning his disappointment regarding Philly's abrupt playoff exit. "It's disappointing, [but] the thing that's not disappointing is the character that's in our room. The professionalism, the way they go about their business, their work ethic ... we have a really great group ..."

Harper echoed similar thoughts as Thomson. The eight-time All-Star took accountability for Philly's shortcomings, simultaneously expressing belief in their squad.

"We’ve just got to be better," Harper told Taryn Hatcher of NBC Sports Philadelphia. "We’ve got to finish the job. We’ve got a great group of guys and a really good core. We just weren’t able to get the job done."

Thomson also addressed a concern that the Phillies have "gone backwards," saying he doesn't believe that's the case.

Harper also gave props to the Mets for advancing to the NLCS, saying they were "a really good team" and that they "had a great series."

Overall, it's refreshing to hear Thomson and Harper's positive perspectives on their gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of the Mets. Nonetheless, it doesn't change the fact that the Phillies couldn't get over the hump for the third straight year under the former's guidance.