The New York Mets will face off against the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series at home in Queens. Game 1 of the series is scheduled to be played on Monday night at 7:10 p.m. EDT. The best odds, lines, and picks for tonight's game are here.
The Mets are coming off a 2-1 series win against the Marlins on the road. Taking their overall record to 89-52, they currently hold the top spot in the National League East standings. They have been hitting well as a unit, with a .259 batting average and a .330 OBP. They will look to make some quick work of the underperforming Cubs tonight.
The Cubs are coming off a 2-1 series defeat to the Giants at home. They have had a subpar performance in both aspects of the game this season. They will hope to finish the season with some dignity. However, that looks increasingly difficult as they are now pitted against the hard-hitting Mets.
"Series secured!" - Mets
The Mets will start Chris Bassitt on the mound. He has an ERA of 3.24, a 1.13 WHIP, 153 K's and a W-L of 13-7. This will be his 27th start of the season. In his most recent outing, he got the win against the Pirates, wherein he gave up one run on five hits in seven IP, punching out 10 hitters in the process. He is a good strike-thrower and will look to get the win tonight.
The Cubs will start Javier Assad on the hill tonight against the Mets. This will only be his fourth start of the season since being called up to the majors from the Cubs' AAA team. It will be interesting to see the young pitcher's approach against the in-form Mets.
"Chris Bassitt has quitely been one of the most solid pitchers in baseball since the break." - Metsmerized
New York Mets vs. Chicago Match Details
Fixture: Chicago Cubs at New York Mets
Date & Time: Monday, September 12, 7:10 p.m. EDT
Venue: Citi Field, Flushing, New York.
New York Mets vs. Chicago Cubs Betting Odds
New York Mets vs. Chicago Cubs: Best Picks
Chris Bassitt is above the league average with a K/9 rate of 8.9 this year. The Cubs walk less frequently at home and against right-handed pitchers. With approximately 6 2/3 innings pitched in each start over his last four, Bassitt should maintain his season-average strikeout rate.
Pick: Chris Bassitt Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-155)
New York Mets vs. Chicago Cubs Betting Prediction
On paper, the Mets are by far the superior club, particularly in terms of depth. New York is 17-8 in Bassitt's starts for the Mets this season. Therefore, bet on them to put on another solid team pitching effort. In addition, three of Bassitt's previous four starts have gone without a run, so expect him to quickly put an end to Colorado's bats.