Series Preview: Mets Host First-Place Cubs

It’s safe to say the New York Mets’ (24-14) road trip had its ups and downs. It started off with a series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, including a doubleheader sweep last Sunday. To their credit, the Mets were able to bounce back though, taking two of three over the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this week. They dropped the middle game of that series but were able to regroup and win the rubber game, thanks to a good outing from Kodai Senga and two home runs from Juan Soto.

The Mets will now face off against the Chicago Cubs (22-16), who sit at the top of the National League Central. Offseason acquisition Kyle Tucker has stolen the show, putting himself in the mix for NL MVP.

Let’s take a look at the three pitching matchups for this weekend’s series.

PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Friday: Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. Clay Holmes (4-1, 2.95 ERA): Taillon’s first start of the season was rough, as he allowed six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Diamondbacks on March 28. Since then, he has been a critical part of the Cubs’ success. Over his last six starts, Taillon is 2-0 with a 2.80 ERA, allowing three runs or less in each of those outings. Holmes has earned the win in four of his last five starts. During that stretch, he has pitched to an impressive 2.96 ERA. Additionally, he has yet to allow a home run in 36 2/3 innings as a starter. Let’s see if he can continue that streak against a strong Cubs lineup.
• Saturday: Cade Horton (2-1, 1.24 ERA, Triple-A Iowa) vs. Tylor Megill (3-2, 2.50 ERA): This was supposed to be Shota Imanaga’s spot in the rotation, but the Cubs left-hander was recently placed on the injured list with a hamstring strain. Instead, 2022 first-round draft pick Cade Horton will make his big league debut. He has gotten off to a quick start in Triple-A Iowa this season, pitching to a 1.24 ERA across six starts. Megill has started the season in great form, although he is coming off his worst outing. Last Sunday, he allowed four runs on four hits and three walks in five innings against the Cardinals. Megill gave up three earned runs over his first five starts. Over his last two, he has allowed seven earned runs. He’s in need of a bounce back at home.
• Sunday: Matthew Boyd (3-2, 2.75 ERA) vs. Griffin Canning (5-1, 2.50 ERA): Boyd has been a pleasant surprise in the Cubs rotation early on. After eight strong starts for the Cleveland Guardians last season, he signed a two-year deal with Chicago. So far, that decision has paid off for both sides. He has allowed three runs or less in each of his first seven outings, a stretch that also includes four quality starts. Like Boyd, Canning has surprised quite a few Mets fans just over a month into the season. He has rattled off five consecutive starts with a win, lowering his ERA from 2.79 to 2.50 during that time. The next step for Canning is to go deeper into games. He has completed six innings once, which came back on April 17 against the Cardinals.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

Pete Crow-Armstrong, a former Mets prospect, is returning to Citi Field in the best form of his career. Tucker has been the Cubs’ best position player this season, but the young center fielder certainly deserves some praise as well. Crow-Armstrong is slashing .310/.326/.736 with nine home runs and 22 runs batted in over his last 22 games. When the Mets traded him for Javier Báez in July 2021, people were a bit worried that decision would come back to bite them. It’s not a huge sample size, but if Crow-Armstrong can play well offensively to go along with his defense and speed, the Cubs got themselves a star.

PREDICTION 

The Cubs are 12-7 on the road this season, so they will go to Citi Field full of confidence. On the other hand, the Mets are 13-3 at home, setting us up for a series between two of the top teams in the National League. The Cubs will get a game, but the Mets will continue to win at home, taking two of three.

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