Mets vs Cubs Odds, and Picks (May 23)

• The Mets won both games in their Sunday doubleheader.
• Chicago came up short against the Phillies, losing 2-1.
• The Cubs are 391-372 in their all-time history against New York.

The Mets (25-23) and the Cubs (20-26) face off in an NL clash. New York is beginning to heat back up, seeking to get back into the playoff picture. Meanwhile, Chicago is trying to stay afloat, amidst a collapse.

How to Watch

• SNY

Preview

New York is finally starting to break free of their slump. They’ve won 5 games in a row, and have gone 8-4 in their last 12 games since dropping to 17-19. After winning 101 games last season, the Mets had high hopes for this year, but immediately underperformed, dropping well behind the 1st-place Braves. That being said, they’ve looked a lot more like last year’s team lately, picking up series wins against good teams.

The Cubs have gone 6-16 in their last 22 games, after starting the year out 14-10. There was some hope that Chicago was finally climbing back to a competitive level, after seven years of futility since winning the World Series in 2016. Unfortunately, they’ve since come back down to earth, struggling to win games. Their pitching has been woeful, having given up 62 runs in their current 1-7 stretch, nearly 8 runs a game.

Prediction

With the Mets beginning to heat up, they definitely seem like the team that is more likely to win this game. That being said, they’ll be on the road for this series, and facing a dangerous Drew Smyly (4-1, 2.86 ERA) in the first game. New York will start Kodai Senga (4-2, 3.77 ERA) who should be able to keep things close. This matchup could go either way, but I’d rather play the hot hand and take the Mets to win it by a few.

MLB Picks: