Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets preview, Monday 9/12, 6:10 CT

Monday notes...

• ATTENDANCE WATCH: Through Sunday, the Cubs have announced 2,344,404 tickets sold through 72 dates, an average of 32,561 per date. They must average 28,400 tickets sold for the 10 remaining dates to reach 2.6 million for the season. The last time the Cubs announced fewer than 2.6 million tickets sold in a full-capacity season (2020 and 2021 excluded) was 1997.
• THESE RECORDS ARE NOT GOOD: The Cubs have played in 78 games decided by two or fewer runs, tied with the Pirates for the most such games in MLB. The Cubs fell to 39-20 when outhitting their opponent and 16-15 when recording at least 11 hits, and they are 6-40 when scoring two or fewer runs this season.
• MCKINSTRY NOTE: Zach McKinstry, out of the leadoff spot this year after his four-hit game Sunday: .281/.343/.438, two doubles, a triple. Small sample size caveat: This represents only 36 plate appearances.
• SOME SPLITS: Cubs vs. NL West and AL: 15-37. Cubs vs. NL East and Central: 43-45. Cubs in day games: 27-29. Cubs in night games: 31-53. Cubs in one-run games: 19-25. Cubs in extra-inning games: 7-12.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Mets lineup:

Also of interest for tonight and this series (time listed is ET):

Javier Assad, RHP vs. Chris Bassitt, RHP

Javier Assad has been pretty effective in his four MLB appearances (three starts). His walk rate is still a bit too high, but in general he’s getting MLB hitters out. As you can see by the graphic below, he’s got six different pitches and mixes them up well.

He’s obviously never faced the Mets or anyone on their active roster, so perhaps that will be to his advantage tonight.

Chris Bassitt was acquired by the Mets in the A’s selloff that happened before this season began, and he’s been quite effective for them this year, basically replicating the All-Star season he had in Oakland in 2021.

In 11 starts since July 1: 2.26 ERA, 1.116 WHIP, only two HR in 71⅔ innings.

He has one career start vs. the Cubs, August 5, 2019 at Wrigley Field. But, given when that game was, only three current Cubs (Zach McKinstry, Yan Gomes, Franmil Reyes) have ever faced him, and only McKinstry has a hit off him. It was a home run.

Good luck tonight, Cubs hitters.

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Mets site Amazin’ Avenue. If you do go there to interact with Mets fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2022 Game Thread procedure will be like last years, similar to what we’ve used for Spring Training.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.