Saturday, June 22, 2019 • 2:20 p.m. (ET)
Wrigley Field • Chicago, IL
RHP Zack Wheeler (5-5, 4.94) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (4-6, 3.87)
PIX11 • MLBN • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets won yesterday and they look to make it two in a row today! The Mets got their first average to below average start from Jason Vargas in a while, but the bullpen behind Vargas was great! It’s been a while since we’ve been able to say that! Pounders held his opponents hitless in 1.1 innings, Lugo didn’t allow any runs in two innings and Diaz had a clean inning of work! It also helps that McNeil and Conforto both homered. Now the Mets will turn to Wheeler to get back on the right track.

Mets Lineup

  1. Jeff McNeil  2B
  2. Pete Alonso  1B
  3. J.D. Davis  LF
  4. Todd Frazier  3B
  5. Michael Conforto  RF
  6. Wilson Ramos  C
  7. Amed Rosario  SS
  8. Juan Lagares  CF
  9. Zack Wheeler  P

Cubs Lineup

  1. Kyle Schwarber  LF
  2. Kris Bryant  3B
  3. Javier Baez  SS
  4. Willson Contreras  C
  5. Jason Heyward  RF
  6. Albert Almora Jr.  CF
  7. Victor Caratini  1B
  8. Jose Quintana  P
  9. Addison Russell  SS

Zack Wheeler is 5-5 over 15 games and 94.2 innings with a 4.94 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 1.331 WHIP, and 82 ERA+. His last two games have been rough, allowing 14 runs, nine earned, over 10.2 innings raising his ERA 0.33 points in the process. In one game against the Cubs last year, he allowed two runs over six innings from seven hits and two walks. The Cubs have the following stats against him:

The Mets bats draw Jose Quintana, in his second full season with the Cubs. Quintana is 4-6 over 15 games and 14 starts with 83.2 innings of work posting a 3.87 ERA, 3.81 FIP, 1.339 WHIP, 115 ERA+. Over four starts in June he has allowed 11 runs, 10 earned, in 21 innings from 21 hits and eight walks. He has a June ERA of 4.29 and an opponents OBP of .322. He was quite good against the Mets last year holding them scoreless over six innings with three hits and two walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

Game Notes 

Jeff McNeil owns a .362 (46-127) batting average with 19 runs scored, 12 doubles, a triple, three home runs, 15 RBI, 10 walks, a .417 OBP and a .960 OPS on the road this year. His .362 road average tops the major leagues. Pete Alonso is batting .289 (46-159) on the road, which places him 17th in the NL.

McNeil is batting .364 (20-55) with a .435 on-base percentage against left-handed pitchers this year. His .364 mark places him second in the majors among left-handed hitters.

Michael Conforto has safely hit in 11 of his last 12 games and in 15 of his last 17 games. He is batting .277 (18-65) with 12 runs scored, two doubles, five homers, 11 RBI, seven walks and a .890 OPS over that span. He has recorded 42 walks this season, placing him tied for seventh in the NL. According to Fangraphs, Conforto ranks ninth among NL outfielders with a 1.7 WAR this year.

The Mets are 6-14 in their last 20 road games and 16-26 overall away from Citi Field. The Mets own a .381 winning percentage on the road, the fourth-lowest in the majors and the lowest in the NL.

Amed Rosario has safely hit in each of his last seven road starts, batting .393 (11-28) with three runs, three doubles, four RBI, a walk and a .914 OPS in that span. Overall, Rosario owns a .274/.308/.415 slash line with 15 extra-base hits and 21 RBI in 41 away games this year. This compares to a .214/.268/.402 line with 10 extra-base hits and 17 RBI in 32 home games.

Let’s Go Mets!

Check 213 Miles from Shea for more Mets news! Today we wonder if the Mets reused leftover promo BP pullovers from last year in Queens for their minor league team in Kingsport.