Wednesday, August 29, 2018 • 1:05 p.m. (ET)
Wrigley Field • Chicago, IL
Suspended Game: RHP Seth Lugo (3-3, 2.90) vs. RHP Steve Cishek (4-1, 1.80)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM
Second Game: LHP Jason Vargas (4-8, 6.96) vs. RHP Alec Mills (0-0, 1.17)
SNY • MLBN • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets and Cubs are in a way playing two games this afternoon. First, they will need to resume their 1-1 tied game in the 10th inning that was suspended last night due to rain. The news from Mets camp yesterday was they needed to get Alonso more regular reps at first base, so they aren’t going to call him up (although the prevailing sentiment is they do not want to start the clock on major league service and that ownership is trying to make the Jay Bruce deal work). The only defensive miscue of the night came on a difficult play at first that led to a run and tied the game. Jacob deGrom provided the only other RBI.

Mets Lineup

1. Amed Rosario (R) SS
2. Jeff McNeil (L) 2B
3. Austin Jackson (R) CF
4. Jay Bruce (L) 1B
5. Michael Conforto (L) LF
6. Todd Frazier (R) 3B
7. Brandon Nimmo (L) RF
8. Kevin Plawecki (R) C
9. Jason Vargas (L) P

Cubs Lineup

1. Kyle Schwarber (L) LF
2. Albert Almora Jr. (R) CF
3. Ben Zobrist (S) 2B
4. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
5. David Bote (R) SS
6. Willson Contreras (R) C
7. Tommy La Stella (L) 3B
8. Alec Mills (R) P
9. Ian Happ (S) RF

Vargas is 4-8 over 15 games and 64.2 innings with a 6.96 ERA, 5.47 FIP, 1.608 WHIP and a 53 ERA+. The last two starts Vargas has pitched in a Vargy jersey and has been so much better allowing 2 runs over 11.1 innings and four runs over his last 17.1 innings. The Cubs have the following numbers against Vargas:

  • Zobrist 12-for-39, 4 2B, HR, 3 BB
  • Rizzo 0-for-6

The Mets bats will get a look at Alec Mills who is making his 3rd appearance this year, his second start. So far he has allowed one run over three hits from 7.2 innings with 10 K’s (most of this from a start against the Reds five days ago allowing one run over 5.2 innings). In AAA he is 5-12 over 23 starts this year totaling 124.2 innings with a 4.84 ERA. No one on the Mets has faced him in a major league game.

Game Notes

The Mets will name RHP Jacob Rhame the 26th man for today’s second game. Rhame will wear #35. He is 0-2
with one save and a 7.25 ERA (18 earned runs/22.1 innings) in 21 games for the Mets this year. Rhame was 1-2 with 11 saves and a 3.06 ERA (11 earned runs/32.1 innings) in 25 games this season
for Las Vegas (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League.

Amed Rosario is second in the NL with 10 stolen bases since the All-Star break. He has been successful in 15 of his last 21 stolen base attempts. Rosario is hitting .321 (27-84) including three hits last night – with four doubles, three homers, 14 RBI and 15 runs scored in his last 19 games. Overall, he is tied for eighth in the NL with six triples.

The Mets rank third in the majors with a .335 road on-base percentage, sixth with 329 runs scored and fourth in the
majors with a .765 OPS on the road.

Jason Vargas has gone 2-0 and posted a 2.08 ERA (four earned runs/17.1 innings) over his last three starts dating to
August 14.

Jacob deGrom has made 19 of his 27 starts against teams that currently have a winning record, the most in the majors. He has a 1.47 ERA (21 ER/128.2 IP) in those 19 starts.

Jeff McNeil has hit safely in each of his last 14 starts (23-58, .397 – including last night). He is batting 443 (33-96) this month, eighth in the NL (min. 90 PA) and has a .376 OBP in August…His .330 (36-107) batting average since his debut on July 24 is the 12th-best in the NL (min. 100 PA).

Let’s Go Mets!