On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Mets series preview

After the Cubs defeated the Twins 6-2 on May 12, they were at .500, 19-19. On the same day, the Mets were 19-20.

Well. Since then, the Mets are 6-3, including a doubleheader sweep Sunday, and the Cubs are 1-7.

That’s not good, at least from the Cubs’ point of view. Mets fans are certainly happy going into this series.

For more on the Mets, here’s Chris McShane, managing editor of our SB Nation Mets site Amazin’ Avenue.

What a difference a week can make in baseball. Things had been going very poorly for the Mets for nearly a month when they began their three-game series at home against the Rays last week. But they followed up their loss in the series opener with back-to-back wins against the team with the best record in baseball, and the first of those wins came in truly dramatic fashion. They followed that series up with a three-game sweep of the Guardians, and two of those victories also involved plenty of late game baseball heroics. The win against the Rays made it feel like the Mets were back, and the way they played in the four games that followed—combined with the great performances by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in their doubleheader on Sunday—backed up that notion.

As for this series against the Cubs, there won’t be any Scherzer or Verlander, but Kodai Senga is coming off his best start since joining the Mets for his first season in the league. Tylor Megill, who’s set to start the second game, has been solid, and Carlos Carrasco struggled in his return from the injured list, just as he did before he landed on it over a month ago. Francisco Álvarez appears to be the real deal behind and at the plate, and fellow rookies Brett Baty and Mark Vientos are contributing — with the trio recently getting dubbed “the baby Mets.” The best veteran position players have been in a groove lately, too.

Fun facts

Last season, the Cubs lost three of four at home to the Mets, dropping the first three, then swept three games at New York.

In 2021, the Cubs swept three at home vs. the Mets, then lost 3 of 4 to them in New York, dropping the first three.

There have been a lot more sweeps and near-sweeps in the rivalry in recent seasons:

2019: Cubs swept three at New York
2018: Cubs swept four at New York, won first two of three at home
2017: Cubs swept three at home
2016: Mets swept four at New York
2015: Cubs swept four at home and three at New York (then lost four straight in NLCS)
2014: Cubs swept three at home
2013: Cubs won first two of three at New York
2012: Cubs won first two of three at home

(All courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Tuesday: Drew Smyly, LHP (4-1, 2.86 ERA. 0.934 WHIP, 3.48 FIP) vs. Kodai Senga, RHP (4-2, 3.77 ERA, 1.442 WHIP, 4.37 FIP)

Wednesday: Marcus Stroman, RHP (3-4, 3.05 ERA, 1.143 WHIP, 3.59 FIP) vs. Tylor Megill, RHP (5-2, 3.88 ERA, 1.424 WHIP, 5.88 FIP)

Thursday: Jameson Taillon, RHP (0-3, 8.10 ERA, 1.725 WHIP, 4.95 FIP) vs. Carlos Carrasco, RHP (0-2, 8.68 ERA, 1.554 WHIP, 7.00 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Tuesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Wednesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside Cubs and Mets market territories)

Thursday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside Cubs and Mets market territories)

Prediction

The Cubs avoid seeing either Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander in this series, so the pitching matchups actually appear mostly favorable to the Cubs.

They will right the ship by taking two of three.

Up next

The Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds in a three-game series at Wrigley Field that begins Friday afternoon.