Are The Mets Serious Contenders?

Over the weekend, the New York Mets will head to Wrigley Field to take on the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series.

A few weeks ago, talk shows and podcasts discussed the Mets’ future plans without caring about this season. And rightfully so. The Mets were one of the worst teams in the MLB and were struggling to find any success with a roster that looked good enough to make the MLB Playoffs.

But after a couple of new additions and some subtractions, the Mets are right back in the thick of things. They’re even tied with the Cubs in the NL MLB Wild Card, just one game out of that final NL spot.

After a few back-to-back series wins, can the Mets add another one this weekend?

The Cubs are favorites for Game 1, with a -152 price tag. Meanwhile, the total is set at 8.5 with a pair of lefties on the hill. Still, the Under is juiced to -124.

Check out our Mets vs Cubs series preview for the full three-game analysis.

Did McDonald’s Grimace Save The Mets?

On June 12, Grimace threw out the first pitch at Citi Field before the Mets’ game against the Marlins. Since that moment, the Mets are 7-1 and have won eight of their last ten games. They’ve become the hottest team in the MLB, and the fans and media have suggested it’s all because of the Grimace mascot.

The mascot has saved the Mets season.

According to Zoomph, the Mets, McDonald’s, and MLB have earned over 30 million impressions and 900,000 engagements, worth 1.2 million dollars in solar media value. It’s been a win-win for all parties.

Cubs Signed Tomas Nido

The Mets designated Tomas Nido for assignment once Francisco Alvarez returned from injury. Nido had spent over ten years with the organization, so it was shocking when people heard the MLB news today.

Nido ultimately found a new home a week later and is now with the Chicago Cubs. He was added after the Cubs designated Yan Gomes for assignment.

It’s unclear if the Cubs intended to keep Nido for the season or just to gather some information before their series against the Mets. Time will tell.

Mets vs Cubs Series Preview & Odds For Game 1:

RL: Cubs -1.5 (+138) ML: Cubs -152, O/U: 8.5 +102/-124

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The Mets will roll with Jose Quintana for the first game of this series. He’s a lefty who has allowed a .260 ISO and wOBA of .364 to his last 107 batters. Quintana hasn’t been good, but at least he’s limited walks to 6.5% over the previous month.

Additionally, he’s held teams to 43.6% of ground balls and just 21.8% of line drives.

Conversely, the Cubs’ projected lineup has hit a .119 ISO and wOBA of .273 against lefties over the last 30 days. While Chicago doesn’t strike out much against lefties, they’ve hit nearly 48% of ground balls. That’s never ideal.

With Shota Imanaga on the mound, they usually don’t need many runs. He’s literally in the MLB MVP race right now. After all, Imanaga has a 1.89 ERA on the season. But analytically, he’s allowed a .206 ISO and wOBA of .366 to his last 72 righties. The left-hander has also struck out only 20.8% of lefties in the previous 30 days.

The Mets’ projected lineup has hit a .224 ISO and wOBA of .396 against lefties over the last 30 days. Francisco Lindor, J.D. Martinez, Peete Alonso, Starling Marte, Mark Vintos, and Harrison Bader has all hit above-average power numbers and has had a high wOBA against lefties over the last month.

Therefore, we’d consider backing the Mets in Game 1 of this series as underdogs at +128.

In the second matchup, Tylor Megill will get the call. Megill is a righty who has earned more than 27% of strikeouts over the last 30 days. He’s also held opponents to a .094 ISO and wOBA of .279 with only 8.4% of walks. Overall, Megill has been really good. He’s one of the reasons for New York’s recent surge. They’ve got depth at pitcher, but Megill was out for most of the start of this season with an injury.

Overall, the Cubs aren’t much better against righties, either. The lineup still struggles to find power outside Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ. They’ve also struck out at a very high rate against righties.

Chicago hasn’t announced a starter for Saturday or Sunday. As of now, it looks like it’ll be Jameson Taillon. He’s succeeded against lefties but has allowed a .153 ISO and wOBA of .356 to 62 righties. New York will still likely have more righties than lefties in the lineup.

Take the Mets in Game 2.

David Peterson also missed the early portion of the season due to injury. The left-handed pitcher has allowed just a .136 ISO and has induced nearly 54% of ground balls. Peterson hasn’t earned many strikeouts against righties, but again, he’s facing a Cubs lineup that has struggled against lefties over the last 30 days.

He’ll pitch against Javier Assad, who has allowed a .327 ISO and wOBA of .497 against his last 59 righties. Ultimately, he’s been much worse than Peterson. If the Mets can sneak in a victory in Game 1, they’ll legitimately have a chance for a sweep in this Mets vs Cubs series preview.

For MLB betting news, baseball odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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