Series Preview: Mets Return Home to Face Cubs

The Mets return home once more, and things are not on the upswing.

After building some positive momentum, New York faltered against the Phillies and lost two of three games in Philadelphia. The starting pitching was not up to task, and despite some offensive flashes, the lineup was shut down by Cristopher Sánchez and Zach Wheeler.

New York now arrives back at Citi Field, welcoming the Chicago Cubs for a four-game series. There is ample opportunity for the Mets to rebound, but there is also ample opportunity for the team to fall further into the abyss.

There is plenty to get into, so without further ado, it is time for another series preview!

Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Monday: Kodai Senga (0-5, 8.00 ERA) vs. Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.26 ERA)

To start off the series against the Cubs, the Mets turn to the struggling Kodai Senga once more. Senga has fallen on hard times lately on the mound; in 24 innings pitched this year, he has allowed 22 runs. The right-hander is not locating well, is not keeping the ball on the ground, and is allowing home runs at a high rate (seven HRs allowed in 24 IP). Senga’s strikeout and whiff rates are just about the only things going well for him, sitting at 24.6% and 29.6%. There have been no signs that Senga is figuring things out, and there is a good shot that Monday is another rough outing for him.
New York, a lineup that struggles against left-handed pitching, gets a tough test to start the series in Shota Imanaga. Despite holding a 4.26 ERA on the season, Imanaga has only given up one combined run in his last two starts. He is generating an impressive chase rate of 37.2%, is not walking batters at a high rate (6.3%), and has a modest strikeout rate of 24.1%. Imanaga has given up hard contact semi-consistently this year, so the Mets have a chance to do some damage. However, they need to have a much better approach than what they showed this past weekend against the Phillies.

Tuesday: Nolan McLean (4–4, 3.67 ERA) vs. Edward Cabrera (4–4, 5.21 ERA)

Is Nolan McLean back on the right track? He sure looked like it after his last start. Facing the Reds, the 24-year-old went seven innings and did not allow an earned run. McLean struck out nine batters, only walked one batter, and allowed only three hits. Locating better and attack hitters, McLean showed why he has some of the best pure stuff in the majors. When he does not get bitten by the home runs and walks, it is very difficult for opposing teams to create any form of real damage. McLean will look to carry his momentum into the game against the Cubs; if he continues to locate well, he should have another nice outing.
Edward Cabrera has regressed in 2026, and the Mets should have a great chance to do some damage against him. Holding a 5.21 ERA on the season, the righty has given up 10 earned runs in 13.1 innings pitched in June. He is allowing an average exit velocity of 91.2 miles per hour, a barrel rate of 12.6%, and a hard hit rate of 42.2%. Cabrera could find himself against the Mets, but this is arguably the Mets’ best chance for offense in the series.

Wednesday: Sean Manaea (1-2, 4.64 ERA) vs. Javier Assad (5-1, 3.89 ERA)

Slowly, but surely, Sean Manaea is starting to regain his form. Against both the Braves and Phillies, the left-handed pitcher went at least five innings, did not allow more than two runs, struck out at least five batters, and only walked one combined batter between the two starts. Manaea is locating better, notching more strikeouts, and is limiting damage at a much higher rate. New York does not need Manaea to be an ace, but they need consistency from him going forward. If he continues to build upon his success, he will give the Mets a chance to compete on Wednesday.
Javier Assad has been lights out in June for the Cubs, and he will be a major test for the Mets. Despite not striking out batters at a high rate this season as a whole, Assad does not walk many batters (5.2%) and keeps the ball on the ground pretty consistently (46.7% ground ball rate). Assad has struck out more batters in June, though, notching 11 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched. The Mets will need to attack the correct pitches and not give Assad easy outs on Wednesday; if they do not do that, the lineup may have some struggles.

Thursday: Freddy Peralta (5–6, 4.83 ERA) vs. TBD

Well, it cannot get much worse for Freddy Peralta. The right-handed pitcher imploded against the Philadelphia Phillies, only lasting 2.2 innings while allowing 10 runs on 10 hits. Peralta did not locate well, grooved multiple pitches to Philadelphia hitters, and could not generate whiffs at a high rate. The pitcher has not been the top-tier starter he was billed as when he arrived to New York, and he has played a role in the Mets falling below expectations this season. More so than any of the team’s other pitchers, Peralta needs a major bounce-back in this series against the Cubs.
As of now, the Cubs have not announced a starter for the series finale against the Mets.

The Main Storyline

Ahead of this series, my main storyline is a question: Who are the 2026 New York Mets?

The Mets have been awful at times this season, but they also have had moments of playing at a very high level. New York’s bullpen has been great, but the starting pitching has not been that at all. Some hitters are thriving, while others look like they should be in Triple-A.

Outside of their abysmal month of April, the Mets have been a team at war with itself. The positives and negatives ebb and flow constantly; it feels like there is a tug-of-war between the direction that the team is heading in.

New York, over the month of June, has essentially been treading water. One would never assume it, but they are truly one hot streak away from throwing themselves back into the playoff picture. At the same time, they are one more extended losing streak away from making 2026 a fully lost season.

So, who are the New York Mets? That is an answer this team’s current iteration needs to figure out, especially as they start a critical home slate against the Cubs and Phillies. For that reason, this is my main storyline for the week.

Freddy Peralta by Berto Carlo

Player to Watch

In the latest early week series for the Mets, I am concentrating on Freddy Peralta.

New York needs their major offseason addition to pitch better, and that is putting it lightly. Peralta holds an ERA close to 5.00 on the year, has not given the Mets much length in outings, and has been giving up more hard contact than anticipated.

To reverse course, Peralta needs to get ahead in counts and attack batters with his full arsenal of pitches. He needs to get back to making hitters guess, rather than having them be able to attack him. New York will not go anywhere without Perlata pitching well, and as a result, they need him to rebound quickly this week.