Chicago Cubs (71-61) at NY Mets (67-65)
When: Thursday, August 29, 2019
Where: Citi Field,
New York, NY
Time: 7:10 ET | TV: MLB Network
Opening Odds: New York -175/7.5
The Chicago Cubs have had all sorts of trouble when playing away from home this season, but the last two nights have given them some momentum and seek their first three-game road sweep since the middle of April. Tonight’s task won’t be easy as they face Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets in the series finale. The Cubs jumped all over Noah Syndergaard on Wednesday night, tagging him for 10 runs in the first three innings and held on for a 10-7 win. Chicago moved to within two games of St. Louis – who finally lost – in the NL Central and maintained their two-game cushion over Philadelphia for the NL’s second wild card. Kyle Schwarber set a career high with his 31st homer Wednesday and added an RBI double, while right fielder Nicholas Castellanos is 16-for-39 with four homers, nine RBI and nine runs scored in the past nine games. J.D. Davis has homered in the first two games of the series for the Mets and Jeff McNeil went deep among three hits for New York, who have followed a five-game winning streak by dropping its last five – all at Citi Field. New York is now four games behind Chicago in the race for the second NL wild card spot.
Pitchers: Cubs – Jon Lester (10-9, 4.49 ERA) | Mets – Jacob deGrom (8-7, 2.56)
Lester has had a terrible August, going 1-3 with an 8.51 ERA and that includes a six-inning scoreless outing at Pittsburgh on August 17th. He followed that up by allowing six runs and nine hits in a loss to Washington on Friday. Lester’s last two trips to Citi Field have been terrific, going seven innings in each start and allowing a total of one run and seven hits while striking out 17.
deGrom is back in Cy Young form since the All-Star Break, posting a 4-0 record and 1.04 ERA and is coming off a hard-luck no-decision against Atlanta after allowing one run and four hits over seven innings with 13 strikeouts. It was the seventh time since the break that he’s allowed one run or less and will be making his second start against the Cubs this season. deGrom has allowed two runs or less against Chicago in six straight starts and has struck out 32 Cubs in his last three encounters.
I know the Mets are struggling right now, but they did score seven runs last night and have their best pitcher on the mound against a Cubs’ hurler who is really struggling. I say the Mets avoid the sweep in a big way here.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Wednesday. He is 118-81 +2503 units on the season after a 19-8 run!
Pick: Mets -1.5 +110
BETTING TRENDS:
Cubs are 4-0 in their last 4 road games.
Cubs are 4-0 in their last 4 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cubs are 5-0 in their last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cubs are 5-1 in their last 6 games following a win.
Cubs are 55-23 in their last 79 Thursday games.
Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10 overall.
Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10 games on grass.
Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 vs. National League East.
Cubs are 1-5 in their last 6 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Cubs are 1-5 in their last 6 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cubs are 4-1 in Lester’s last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Cubs are 15-6 in Lester’s last 21 starts with 5 days of rest.
Cubs are 7-3 in Lester’s last 10 starts during game 3 of a series.
Cubs are 1-6 in Lester’s last 7 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cubs are 0-4 in Lester’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 0-4 in Lester’s last 4 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 0-4 in Lester’s last 4 Thursday starts.
Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 Thursday games.
Mets are 12-2 in their last 14 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Mets are 10-2 in their last 12 during game 3 of a series.
Mets are 8-2 in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Mets are 11-3 in their last 14 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Mets are 10-4 in their last 14 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Mets are 2-5 in their last 7 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Mets are 2-5 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Mets are 2-6 in their last 8 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Mets are 0-5 in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Mets are 0-5 in their last 5 games vs. a left-handed starter.
Mets are 0-4 in their last 4 games following a loss.
Mets are 0-5 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Mets are 0-5 in their last 5 overall.
Mets are 0-5 in their last 5 games on grass.
Mets are 0-5 in their last 5 home games.
Mets are 8-22 in deGrom’s last 30 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Mets are 7-20 in deGrom’s last 27 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Mets are 2-6 in deGrom’s last 8 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Mets are 2-6 in deGrom’s last 8 home starts.
Mets are 3-13 in deGrom’s last 16 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Mets are 0-5 in deGrom’s last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
Over is 5-1-1 in Cubs last 7 vs. National League East.
Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 road games.
Over is 3-1-1 in Cubs last 5 overall.
Over is 3-1-1 in Cubs last 5 on grass.
Over is 6-2 in Cubs last 8 Thursday games.
Under is 6-2 in Cubs last 8 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 3-1-1 in Cubs last 5 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 3-1-1 in Cubs last 5 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 3-1-1 in Cubs last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 3-1-1 in Cubs last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 11-4-2 in Cubs last 17 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 18-7-1 in Cubs last 26 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-0-1 in Lester’s last 5 road starts.
Over is 5-1 in Lester’s last 6 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1-1 in Lester’s last 6 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 12-3 in Lester’s last 15 starts vs. National League East.
Over is 12-4-1 in Lester’s last 17 starts with 5 days of rest.
Over is 3-1-2 in Lester’s last 6 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 8-3 in Lester’s last 11 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-2-2 in Lester’s last 9 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Over is 23-11 in Lester’s last 34 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-1-1 in Mets last 9 games vs. a left-handed starter.
Over is 5-1 in Mets last 6 vs. National League Central.
Under is 4-1 in Mets last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Under is 12-3-2 in Mets last 17 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1-1 in Mets last 6 Thursday games.
Under is 4-1 in Mets last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Mets last 7 overall.
Under is 5-2 in Mets last 7 on grass.
Under is 5-2 in Mets last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-2 in Mets last 7 home games.
Under is 5-2-2 in Mets last 9 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Under is 5-2 in Mets last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 8-1-1 in deGrom’s last 10 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in deGrom’s last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.
Over is 4-1-1 in deGrom’s last 6 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-2-1 in deGrom’s last 9 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 3-1-1 in deGrom’s last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Over is 14-5 in deGrom’s last 19 starts vs. National League Central.
Under is 5-2 in deGrom’s last 7 starts on grass.
Over is 5-2-1 in deGrom’s last 8 starts during game 3 of a series.
Under is 5-2 in deGrom’s last 7 starts overall.
Under is 19-9-2 in deGrom’s last 30 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in New York.
Cubs are 5-0 in Lester’s last 5 starts vs. Mets.
Cubs are 13-3 in the last 16 meetings.
Over is 12-5-1 in the last 18 meetings.
