Series Preview: Mets Welcome Cubs To Citi Field For Four Games

The New York Mets (32-25, first place in the National League’s eastern division) continue their homestand with four games against manager David Ross‘ Chicago Cubs (38-27, tied for first place in the National League’s central division).

The Mets will be looking for a measure of revenge against the Cubs, who swept the Mets at Wrigley Field in April. New York is coming off a three-game weekend series against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field, during which the Mets won two of three, losing on Sunday in a game that saw some questionable use of the bullpen. The Cubs completed a three-game weekend sweep of their arch-rival St. Louis Cardinals in Chicago on Sunday night.

The Cubs have been playing very good baseball, in a season that many expected them to begin a rebuilding process. The Mets, as has been well-chronicled, are in the midst of a stretch that will see them play 12 games in the next 10 days, and then 18 games in 17 days leading up to the All-Star break.

The Mets have slowly been getting healthier, with Luis Guillorme being the most recent player to return from the injured list. They hope to have Jeff McNeil back next weekend, with Michael Conforto to follow one week later. With 30 games in the next 28 days (they’re off on June 24), New York hopes to be as close to full strength as possible for this critical period of the schedule.

The weather should generally be good in Queens for four night games this week. There is a chance of showers Monday that could linger into Monday night, and there is a chance of some impact on Monday night’s game. After Monday, perfect June weather is in the forecast for the remainder of the week.

Let’s take a look at the projected pitching matchups for the series.

Monday, June 14, RHP Jake Arrieta (5-6) CHC vs LHP David Peterson (1-5) NYM, 7:10 pm

Arrieta in 2021: GS: 12, ERA: 4.97, IP: 58.0, H: 61, ER: 32, HR: 11, BB: 23, SO: 48, WHIP: 1.45

Peterson in 2021: GS: 11, ERA: 6.32, IP: 47.0, H: 50, ER: 33, HR: 9, BB: 21, SO: 53, WHIP: 1.51

Arrieta faced the Mets on April 20, recording the win while tossing five innings of one-run ball on three hits. Arrieta is in his second tour with the Cubs. He won the Cy Young award as a Cub in 2015. While his statistics this season make him seem vulnerable, he has pitched well against the Mets throughout his career. The Farmington, MO native is in his 12th season. Arrieta’s career record is 115-85 with a 3.80 ERA.

Peterson is having a bad sophomore season after going 6-2 with a 3.44 ERA last year as a rookie. His last two starts have been particularly troubling. On June 2 against Arizona, Peterson lasted just one-third of an inning after being staked to a four-run lead prior to taking the mound. On June 8 at Baltimore, Peterson had a 2-0 lead when he took the mound in the first inning, but pitched just 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. The southpaw needs to be much better this time out, particularly with the Mets in the heavy portion of their schedule and the bullpen being significantly taxed.

The game can be seen locally on SNY and heard locally on WCBS radio 880 am.

Tuesday, June 15, RHP Alec Mills (2-0) CHC vs RHP Taijuan Walker (5-2) NYM, 7:10 pm

Mills in 2021: GS: 1, ERA: 6.08, IP: 23.2, H: 26, ER: 16, HR: 4, BB: 10, SO: 15, WHIP: 1.52

Walker in 2021: GS: 11, ERA: 2.07, IP: 61.0, H: 39, ER: 14, HR: 2, BB: 24, SO: 60, WHIP: 1.03

Mills is in his fifth season, with a career record of 8-6 and 4.46 career ERA. He was a starter in 2020 (11 starts) but has primarily been a reliever during his career. This will be just his second start in 2021. Mills has not pitched more than four innings in an outing this season, so this will be a bullpen game for Chicago.

Walker has been outstanding for the Mets. In his last start at Baltimore, he took the ball and delivered seven innings, allowing just one run. The Shreveport, LA native recently spent 10 days on the injured list with left side soreness but has shown no residual effects of the injury since his return on May 29.

The game can be seen locally on SNY and heard locally on WCBS radio 880 am.

Wednesday, June 16, Undecided CHC vs RHP Jacob deGrom (6-2) NYM, 7:10 pm

DeGrom in 2021: GS: 10, ERA: 0.56, IP: 64.0, H: 26, ER: 4, HR: 3, BB: 8, SO: 103, WHIP: 0.53

For deGrom, the big question is whether or not he will pitch on Wednesday after leaving his start on June 11 with right flexor tendonitis. All signs point to him making the start, as he reported feeling fine after his workouts on both Saturday and Sunday.

DeGrom was typically brilliant in his start on June 11, pitching six innings, allowing no runs on just one hit. His 2021 numbers have him on a trajectory for his third Cy Young award. The DeLand, FL native seems to be over his left side tightness injury from May that landed him on the injured list. The Mets need their ace, especially in a series against the red-hot Cubs.

The game can be seen locally on SNY and heard locally on WCBS radio 880 am.

Thursday, June 17, RHP Kyle Hendricks (8-4) CHC vs RHP  Marcus Stroman (6-4) NYM, 7:10 pm

Hendricks in 2021: GS: 13, ERA: 4.46, IP: 74.2, H: 86, ER: 37, HR: 19, BB: 15, SO: 58, WHIP: 1.35

Stroman in 2021: GS: 13, ERA: 2.33, IP: 77.1, H: 65, ER: 20, HR: 8, BB: 18, SO: 67, WHIP: 1.07

Hendricks has a career record of 77-52 with an ERA of 4.46, so this has been a down year for him in terms of ERA and WHIP. He did not face the Mets in the series in Chicago earlier this season.

Stroman has been consistently good for the Mets after accepting the qualifying offer last off-season. In his most recent start on June 12, the native of Long Island tossed 6.1 innings against the Padres, allowing one run on six hits. In the month of June, Stroman is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA.

The game can be seen locally on SNY and heard locally on WCBS radio 880 am.

Series Notes for Mets

Mets by the numbers, with MLB rankings:

BA .235 (16th)

OBP .313 (17th)

SLG .411 (10th)

OPS .693 (18th)

Team ERA 3.16 (2nd)

Starters’ ERA 2.77 (1st)

Relievers’ ERA 3.52 (6th)

Mets OPS leaders (among players who are active) are Pete Alonso (.831), Jonathan Villar (.769), James McCann (.684), Francisco Lindor (.667), Dominic Smith (.640)

Additional notable Mets on the injured list:

Tommy Hunter (60-day), Johneshwy Fargas, Albert Almora, Jr.

Miguel Castro was unavailable on Saturday and Sunday with a sore neck. Outfielder Billy McKinney is nursing a sore knee and was not available on Saturday or Sunday. Villar left the team for a family matter on Sunday.

Series Notes for Cubs

Cubs by the numbers, with MLB rankings:

BA .234 (17th)

OBP .312 (18th)

SLG .371 (27th)

OPS .723 (12th)

Team ERA 3.66 (10th)

Starters’ ERA 4.50 (19th)

Relievers’ ERA 2.59 (2nd)

Cubs OPS leaders (among players who are active) are Kris Bryant (.931), Anthony Rizzo (.806), Willson Contreras(.769),Joc Pederson(.762), Javier Baez(.738)

Notable Cubs on the injured list:

Matt Duffy, David Bote, Nico Hoerner

The Cubs will be a good test for the Mets, who lead their division by three games (six in the loss column). New York has an advantage in starting pitching but is in a phase of their schedule where the pitching is being taxed by a heavy workload. The Cubs’ bullpen has been outstanding, led by closer Craig Kimbrel (18 saves, 0.66 ERA).

These teams may meet in October. The Cubs have had their way with the Mets over the past several years (except in October), and this week the Mets will have the opportunity to turn the tables on the 2016 World Series champions.