Series Preview: Struggling Mets Set to Face Raging-Hot Cubs

After being shut out by the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, the struggling New York Mets (50-61) will look to snap their six-game losing streak against the Chicago Cubs (58-54) during their three-game series at Citi Field.

Over the weekend, the Mets were overmatched by the first-place Baltimore Orioles in just about every facet of the game. Their offense was dry and their pitching was underwhelming for the most part.

On the other hand, the Cubs are coming off a series victory against the potent Atlanta Braves, in which they continued to demonstrate that they are a serious playoff contender. While the Cubs were considering selling assets at the trade deadline, a large win streak caused their front office to shift their philosophy to foster winning this season.

While the Mets are not in the race for a playoff spot at the moment, the Cubs are only 1 1/2 games back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central Division. As a result, the Cubs could take advantage of a depleted Mets team in order to gain ground on their rival.

Monday, August 7, 2023: LHP Drew Smyly (8-7, 4.71 ERA) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (7-6, 3.25 ERA)

Drew Smyly will open the series for the Cubs, and his season has been rocky to this point. Last outing, he pitched 4 2/3 innings while allowing five earned runs and striking out seven batters. A common theme in recent play for Smyly is that he has not been providing the Cubs with length, often pitching under five innings. The Mets have seen a lot of Smyly over the last two seasons, and he has generally pitched well against them. In his previous three starts against the Mets, Smyly pitched 14 1/3 innings while allowing only four earned runs combined.

Kodai Senga will pitch for the Mets on Monday. He has been the lone bright spot in the Mets’ rotation with the emergence of his ghost forkball as a strikeout pitch. Last time around, he tossed 5 2/3 innings while allowing three earned runs with six strikeouts. He pitched similarly in his only career start against the Cubs earlier this season, when he pitched five innings while giving up three earned runs.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023: RHP Jameson Taillon (6-6, 5.36 ERA) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-6, 6.60 ERA)

Jameson Taillon is going to pitch on Tuesday for the Cubs. While his ERA is not great, he has been much better in his recent outings. Over his last five starts, Taillon has pitched 30 1/3 innings while allowing only seven earned runs. His improved performance has played a large part in the resurgence of the Cubs as a playoff contender. He has not pitched against the Mets since 2018, but he has a 2.25 ERA among his three starts against the club.

Carlos Carrasco will be going for the Mets in this game, and his struggles have been well-documented at this point in the season. In fact, he has allowed a combined 21 earned runs over his last four starts. Time may be ticking on Carrasco’s Mets career. He did perform well in his start against the Cubs earlier this season when he tossed 6 2/3 innings while allowing only one run. However, his recent downward trend combined with the improvement of the Cubs’ offense may not bode well for Carrasco on Tuesday.

Wednesday, August 9, 2023: RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 4.09 ERA) vs. LHP David Peterson (3-7, 5.65 ERA)

Kyle Hendricks will close out this series for Chicago. While his season has been relatively good up to this point, he did not perform well in his previous start, when he allowed seven earned runs in four innings. Control has always been Hendricks’ strong suit, and this season is no different. In fact, he has walked one or fewer batters in his last eight starts. Hendricks pitched against the Mets earlier this season, and he allowed three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings.

David Peterson will pitch on Wednesday for the Mets, making his second start since his entry back into the starting rotation. This season has not been ideal for Peterson’s development, as he has found himself spending time in the bullpen as well as Triple-A Syracuse. The former first-round pick has been provided with many chances to prove his worth, and this extended stretch may be one of the last for him.

His last outing was a step in the right direction, as he tossed three scoreless innings with only one hit allowed. He has a 2.05 ERA (3.76 FIP) in 26 1/3 innings since returning to the majors on June 27.