NEW YORK -- The Mets’ 2-0 loss to the Cubs on Thursday provided a disappointing final note to what had otherwise been an uplifting homestand at Citi Field. All told, the Mets won five of seven against the Cubs and Padres in front of the seven largest crowds they’ve hosted all season.

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In doing so, the Mets demonstrated with some authority that they could beat good teams. They proved that they could hang with the National League’s best.

For where the Mets intend to wind up this season, that’s no small declaration.

“I think we’re playing pretty good baseball,” manager Luis Rojas said. “We lost this one tonight, and it’s a tough one. All losses are tough. But we’re playing pretty good baseball. ... We look back at facing two good teams, and we’re not surprised. We’re just playing pretty good.”

The nature of baseball is such that even the best clubs can’t win every game, and for the Mets, Thursday was one of those inevitable clunkers. Despite another strong seven-inning effort from Marcus Stroman, who allowed nothing after Javier Báez’s two-run homer in the first, the Mets could not solve Kyle Hendricks or the Cubs’ bullpen. And so they lost for just the third time in their last 11 games -- a stretch that has seen them solidify their hold on first place in the NL East.

“I don’t think the guys become timid against certain teams regardless of their standing or position,” Rojas said in reference to the NL Central-leading Cubs. “We know when a team’s been playing hot and playing good baseball. But that doesn’t tell us that we’ve got to upgrade our game or do anything like that. We just get ready to play every day.”

To be clear, beating good teams is not actually a prerequisite for October success. When the Mets last won the NL East in 2015, they did so in large part by going 28-5 against the last-place Reds, Phillies and Rockies. In their games against the four NL clubs that made the playoffs, the Mets finished 7-20 -- including an 0-7 mark versus the Cubs, whom they later swept in the NL Championship Series.

But in terms of establishing confidence for a team that hasn’t found itself in many recent pennant races, beating good teams is key. When the Mets jumped out to a 27-21 record over their first 48 games this season, doubts persisted in large part because they had suffered series sweeps at the hands of the Cubs, Red Sox and Rays. Much of the Mets’ damage came against teams ranked near the bottom of their divisions.

The past two weeks changed that narrative. First, the Mets won four in a row against the Padres, who had entered the season as near-universal playoff favorites. Then they took three of four from the Cubs. And while they couldn’t complete the sweep -- going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position will have that effect -- the Mets weren’t about to let that dampen their confidence.

“I think we’re unbelievable,” said Stroman, who set a new personal best by going at least six innings for an eighth consecutive game. “I think every guy in this clubhouse knows what we’re truly capable of, but obviously going out and getting it done I think just puts more confidence in each and every guy in this clubhouse. We have a great vibe here. Losses don’t really affect us.”

In addition to announcing themselves as legitimate NL contenders, the Mets spent this week building a 4 1/2-game lead in the NL East. They also grew healthier. Starting position players Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto are both due back within the next week, with Brandon Nimmo not all that far behind. And if Jacob deGrom’s shoulder injury is as inconsequential as the Mets insist, there’s little reason why this team can’t keep rolling.

The schedule is about to grow slightly easier in terms of strength of opponent, though it will still be difficult for other reasons, with three doubleheaders over the next eight days. It also has a chance to be even more impactful, as the Mets’ next 16 games will all come against division opponents.

They’re ready for it. And as Rojas said, “that’s what’s special about this … the guys are staying neutral regardless of who the opponent is.”