New York Tries to Avoid Sweep
The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs three-game series will end on Thursday. Before the series, the Mets had been on a five-game winning streak but they lost the opening two games, affecting their MLB lines.
The Cubs have won the first two games, closing in on a sweep. They won the first game with the lineup putting up seven runs before Chicago’s starting pitching played a crucial role in shutting down the Mets, winning 4-2 in Game 2.
Mets Derailed
The New York had been playing good baseball, with the team gradually getting healthy, helping their MLB odds. They had won five straight before Game 1 against the Cubs, but each win was by one run. It was a testament to improved play, but still had its question marks.
Something to keep in mind when making MLB picks and parlays is the play of Pete Alonso. Over the last seven days, he has been seeing the ball well, hitting three homers with seven runs batted in.
Cubs Finding Some Offense
It has been a while since the Chicago Cubs won a series. Specifically, it has been four straight losses, but now they have beaten the Mets. While the offense has been solid overall, it has not been consistent – either having a big game going for more than five runs or struggling to get past three.
Morel homers in his fifth consecutive game!#NextStartsHere pic.twitter.com/qbZ5d716pI
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 24, 2023
The arrival of Christopher Morel has helped out a little, headlining MLB news for hitting home runs in five straight games, a streak that ended in Game 2 with the Mets. The only problem was that his homers during that stretch only led to six RBIs, mostly hitting solo shots.
Starting Pitchers
Carlos Carrasco (0-2, 8.68 ERA) vs Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 0.00)
Both starting pitchers are looking for their first win for the season, having already had stints on the injury list. For the Mets, Carlos Carrasco will get his second start after not pitching for just over a month. It was not a great outing back, going five innings, allowing five hits and five runs, with three strikeouts.
Kyle Hendricks will be on the mound for the Cubs for the first time this season. He has not pitched in the majors since last July, having dealt with a shoulder strain. Having had success in Chicago, Hendricks should be a big boost for this starting rotation. The only issue is his ERA over the last two seasons is above 4.00.
Mets vs. Cubs Head-to-Head
The Cubs won the 2022 series with the Mets 4-3 by winning the final four games. Chicago has kept that going, now winning six straight against New York.
Mets vs Cubs Game Information
- Game: Mets (25-25) vs Cubs (22-26)
- Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
- Day/Time: Thursday, May 25, 7:40 p.m. EST
- Mets vs Cubs Live stream: MLB.tv
Mets vs Cubs Betting Lines
Over/Under Pick
Given that one pitcher has an ERA over 8.00 and the other is getting his first start since July 2022, it is hard not to go with the over for MLB picks. The starting pitching alone lends to this being a high-scoring game and possibly leading the bullpens to get used heavily. On top of that, both teams have some pretty good hitters that can take advantage of the starters.
Pick: Over 7½ (-120)
Moneyline Pick
It seems like the sportsbook have been siding with the Cubs for this series, which makes sense since they put the better pitcher on the mound in the first two games. However, in Game 3, the starting matchup is a little more even. Both are likely to give up runs, which might lean the advantage toward the Mets. They have a star-studded lineup that should be able to take full advantage of a pitcher getting his first start of the season.
Pick: Mets +108
Spread Pick
With the possibility of the Mets winning the game outright, and being underdogs, they should be able to cover the spread. If anything the offense should be able to keep this game close, and within two-runs.
Pick: Mets +1½ (-210)
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