Two of the biggest National League markets will clash in the Windy City Thursday as the New York Mets (55-34) take on the Chicago Cubs (34-54). The Cubs will host this one at Wrigley Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:05 pm ET.
Coming into this four-game series, the Mets won two of three over their division rivals, the Atlanta braves. On Wednesday, they won the finale and secured a series victory with a 7-3 win.
Chris Bassitt went six innings, allowing one run on five hits in the win. Offensively, the Mets hit three home runs, including Francisco Lindor’s 16th.
Chicago did not have nearly as much luck as they were swept by the red-hot Baltimore Orioles in a two-game set. The Cubs have now lost six games in a row.
In the finale, the Cubs lost to Baltimore 7-1. Ian Happ had two hits in the loss, but the rest of the team combined for just four hits.
The Mets are the favorites in this one despite playing on the road. They are -142 to win while the Cubs’ moneyline sits at +120.
Mets Looking For Breathing Room
At 55-34, the Mets have the second-best record in the National League, but they still lead the NL East by just 2.5 games over the Braves. Winning the series to start the week helped, but the Mets would still love to rack up more wins and create some more separation.
They will try to do so on the road, where they are 27-19 to date. The Mets have also won six of their last 10.
Manager Buck Showalter will give the ball to veteran Carlos Carrasco for the opener. In 17 games, Carrasco is 9-4 with a 4.55 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and has 94 strikeouts in 93 innings.
He took a no-decision in his last start against the Marlins, allowing two runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings of work.
Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor continue to lead the team offensively. In 328 at bats, Alonso is hitting .268/.343/.521 with a team-leading 23 home runs and 72 runs batted in.
For Lindor, he is hitting .244/.317/.433 with 16 home runs, 64 runs scored, and nine stolen bases.
Cubs Battling To Stay Out Of Division Cellar
Having lost eight of their last ten games, the Chicago Cubs now sit at 34-54, 14.5 games out of first in the NL Central. With the Reds playing better ball as of late, the Cubs are just one game ahead of Cincinnati for the worst record in the division.
This season, Chicago has struggled regardless of their venue. They are 17-25 on the road and 17-29 at Wrigley Field.
Taking the ball for Chicago has been one of their bright spots, Keegan Thompson. The 27-year-old righty is 7-3 in 19 games with a 3.04 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, and he has 74 strikeouts in 77 innings.
In his last two starts, Thompson has given up just one earned run on eight hits in a combined 9.2 innings of work. He has struck out 11 in that span.
Despite hitting just .227/.321/.453, Patrick Wisdom leads the team in the power department. He has a team-leading 17 home runs and 45 runs batted in.
One of their best hitters, and a likely trade candidate this month, has been catcher Willson Contreras. He is hitting .262/.377/.473 with 13 home runs and 35 runs batted in.
Take The Mets To Win
While Keegan Thompson certainly gives the Cubs a chance in this one, it is hard to bet against the Mets here. Chicago has been in a dreadful slump, and the Mets have been one of the hottest teams all season.
Furthermore, the Mets have gone an impressive 6-3 in their last nine games on the road this season, making the trip to Wrigley Field a moot point.
Take New York to win this first one at -142 on the moneyline.
