Mets at Cubs
The New York Mets look to make another loud statement against the Chicago Cubs when the clubs open a three-game series at Wrigley Field on Monday. New York swept Chicago in last fall's National League Championship Series and again on June 30-July 3, erupting for 12 homers to outscore the opposition by a staggering 32-11 total in the most recent set.
Asdrubal Cabrera went deep on two occasions in the Mets' 10-2 romp over the Cubs on July 1 and also homered on Sunday as New York secured a series victory over Philadelphia with a 5-0 rout. James Loney also went deep on July 1 and had six hits, four RBIs and scored two runs in the series. While the Mets are coming off a dominating pitching performance by Jacob deGrom, the Cubs were on the wrong end of one as Cole Hamels helped Texas salvage the finale of their interleague series with a 4-1 victory on Sunday. Junior Baez had an RBI double to account for his fourth RBI during his last five games in which he's recorded a plate appearance.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, SNY (New York), WPWR (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (7-5, 3.38 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (9-4, 3.01)
Matz fell to 0-4 in his last eight starts despite yielding three runs on six hits in seven innings of a 3-2 setback to Washington on July 10. The 25-year-old was taken deep for the sixth time in five outings, with two coming at the hands of Chicago in a no-decision on June 30. Matz permitted three runs but also issued three walks in 5 1/3 innings against the Cubs.
Lester has answered a five-game winning streak by going 0-1 in his last four - with a horrific display against New York on July 3 serving as quite the black eye. The 32-year-old allowed a season-high eight runs on nine hits - including three homers - in a career-worst 1 1/3 innings of a 14-3 shellacking. Lester, however, enjoyed success against the Mets in his previous three outings, posting a 2-0 mark with a 2.50 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant struck out six times in the last two games against the Rangers and on five occasions in the previous series versus the Mets.
2. Chicago won all seven straight regular-season contests in 2015 before seeing the bottom fall out in the last eight encounters with New York.
3. The Mets recalled OF Michael Conforto from Triple-A Las Vegas shortly after Sunday's victory over Philadelphia.