The Mets and Cubs used to be huge rivals when they shared a division, the NL East.
But since the teams were moved to different divisions 30 years ago, they only meet twice a year, once in each ballpark. After this week the teams will play a three-game set at Wrigley Field in June, then not again until 2025, unless somehow they match up in the postseason.
For more on the Mets, here’s Chris McShane, managing editor of our SB Nation Mets site Amazin’ Avenue.
The Mets had a bit of a rough weekend against the Cardinals, dropping the first and second games of the series before winning the finale yesterday afternoon to avoid getting swept. While this is a four-game series, the Cubs will miss former friend Jose Quintana, who pitched very well in the win over the Cardinals yesterday. They’ll see the rest of the Mets’ starting rotation, which consists of three pitchers who have gotten off to good starts this season — Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and José Buttó — and one who very much has not in Adrian Houser. The team hasn’t given any indication that Houser’s spot in the rotation is at risk, but it wouldn’t be shocking if they wound up going with someone else on Thursday given Houser’s staggering 8.37 ERA thus far.
The Mets’ bullpen has been excellent, but there are a couple of key relievers on the injured list: Brooks Raley and Drew Smith. Reed Garrett has been outstanding and looks to have legitimately broken out, and Edwin Díaz has been great, even though he looks like he still has a little room for improvement coming off the knee injury that cost him the 2023 season.
And last but not least, the Mets’ lineup is capable of putting up a bunch of runs, but they’ve been maddeningly inconsistent on a game-by-game basis. DJ Stewart, Pete Alonso, recently-activated DH JD Martinez, and Starling Marte have been the team’s best hitters by wRC+. Marte was on the bereavement list this weekend but figures to return during this series. And Francisco Lindor started the season ice cold, which isn’t uncommon for him, but is inching towards getting back to being an above-league-average hitter. Lindor has hit three of his five home runs on the season over the past few days.
Fun fact
The Cubs are 183-194-1 against the Mets in New York, a big difference from their 211-177-1 at home. But since 2011, the Cubs are 24-16 at Citi Field, including a four-game sweep in 2018 and three-game sweeps in 2015, 2019 and 2022. They have won seven series, split one and lost only three. They have been swept only once, dropping four games in 2016 — when, of course, the Cubs lost only 58 games all season! (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Monday: Jameson Taillon, RHP (2-0, 1.69 ERA, 1.125 WHIP, 3.44 FIP) vs. Luis Severino, RHP (2-2, 2.67 ERA, 1.259 WHIP, 3.31 FIP)
Tuesday: Javier Assad, RHP (2-0, 2.00 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 3.31 FIP) vs. Sean Manaea, LHP (1-1, 3.33 ERA, 1.438 WHIP, 3.45 FIP)
Wednesday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (4-0, 0.98 ERA, 0.795 WHIP, 2.40 FIP) vs. José Buttó, RHP (0-1, 2.86 ERA, 1.091 WHIP, 4.11 FIP)
Thursday: Ben Brown, RHP (0-1, 4.30 ERA, 1.174 WHIP, 3.16 FIP) vs. Adrian Houser, RHP (0-3, 8.37 ERA, 1.901 WHIP, 4.81 FIP)
Times & TV channels
Monday: 6:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Tuesday: 6:10 pm CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Mets market territories)
Wednesday: 6:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Thursday: 12:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Mets have lost five of seven and are 6-9 at home, although they did beat the Cardinals on Sunday to avoid being swept.
The pitching matchups here seem generally favorable to the Cubs. I’m going to go out on a limb and say they can take three of four.
Up next
The Cubs return to Wrigley Field to take on their first NL Central opponent of 2024, the Milwaukee Brewers, in a three-game series which begins Friday afternoon.
