Wednesday, September 14, 2025 • 8:05 PM
Wrigley Field • Chicago, IL
RHP Jonah Tong (2-2, 5.94) vs. LHP Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.20)
ESPN

The Mets are back in control of their own destiny! The Mets got the night started off with a bang on Tuesday with Francisco Lindor leading off the game with a home run. The Cubs immediately bounced back, scoring five runs, just suppressing the vibes. But the Mets fought back, first to make it 6-6, then to take a 7-6 lead. The Cubs would eventually tie it again before Francisco Alvarez called game with a go-ahead two-run blast. The Mets have to play postseason baseball now if they want to play in October next week.

David Banks-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor – SS
  2. Juan Soto – RF
  3. Pete Alonso – 1B
  4. Starling Marte – DH
  5. Mark Vientos – 3B
  6. Brandon Nimmo – LF
  7. Francisco Alvarez – C
  8. Jeff McNeil – 2B
  9. Tyrone Taylor – CF

Jonah Tong makes his fifth major league start tonight. Over his first 16 2/3 innings, he has a 5.94 ERA, 4.23 FIP, 1.440 WHIP and a 69 ERA+. He’s coming off his best start of his career, holding the Padres to one unearned run, scattering four hits while striking out a career high eight batters. Tong has not been hit exceptionally hard this season; he’s just given up a lot of hits (.293 BA on the fastball, .271 xBA). Hitters have a .537 SLG on his fastball despite an average exit velocity of 89.7 mph. Hopefully, he can build off of his last start tonight.

Opposing Lineup

  1. Michael Busch – 1B
  2. Nico Hoerner – 2B
  3. Ian Happ – LF
  4. Moisés Ballesteros – DH
  5. Seiya Suzuki – RF
  6. Carson Kelly – C
  7. Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
  8. Dansby Swanson – SS
  9. Matt Shaw – 3B

Matthew Boyd is having a career year for the Cubs. He earned his first All-Star nomination and is tied for the second-highest bWAR (2.5) of his career. Over 174 1/3 innings, he has a 3.20 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 1.107 WHIP and a 121 ERA+. He’s had a tough go of it lately with a 6.54 ERA, 5.36 FIP over his last 31 2/3 innings (six starts). In his last two starts, he has allowed eight runs over eight innings on 12 hits, including two homers. Boyd had a solid start against the Mets back in May, holding the Mets to two runs over six innings. The Mets have the following career stats against him:

Game Notes

  • The Mets designated Jose Siri for assignment and activated Tyrone Taylor from the injured list. Taylor missed the last three weeks with a hamstring injury.
  • Carlos Mendoza said Kodai Senga‘s bullpen session on Tuesday went “just okay”. Senga’s fastball velocity averaged just 93 mph, and there was some concern that he was fatigued because of the hot Florida weather.
  • The Mets are trying to become just the second team in MLB history to make the playoffs despite three separate seven-game losing streaks. The only team to do so is the 2006 Cardinals, who went on to win the World Series.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Power. The Mets are the best when they are swinging for the fences. Their top four hitters in the lineup each have 25 HR+ in Lindor, Soto, Alonso, and Nimmo. Vientos has as much power as anyone when he’s in a groove. Baty has been a power surprise this season with 17 bombs. Francisco Alvarez hit his 10th home run last night to put the Mets in the lead. When the Mets play like themselves, there is a fear that they can take over the game in any inning. We saw glimpses of that Tuesday night.
  2. Season Stats. Francisco Lindor is now only one home run away from his second 30-30 season. Juan Soto is sitting at 124 career walks. His next walk will tie John Olerud for most walks by a Mets hitter in a single season (125 – 1999). Less likely, but not impossible, Soto is only four stolen bases away from 40 for the season. Pete Alonso has an outside chance at 40 double a 40 home run season, but he’ll really need to put in work over the last five games of the season. He needs two doubles and three homers.
  3. Wild Card race. Get ready to root for the Pirates again tonight. They have a great pitching match-up with the Reds, with Paul Skenes (2.03 ERA) taking on Hunter Greene (2.74). That game will start about 90 minutes before the Mets game. About 90 minutes after the Mets game starts, the Dodgers and Blake Snell (2.44 ERA) will take on Ryne Nelson (3.44 ERA). The Reds and Diamondbacks are just one game behind the Mets.

Let’s go Mets!