Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets – Series Preview (April 29-May 2): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (17-11) were rolling entering their matchup against the Red Sox after sweeping the Astros at Wrigley Field. Chicago was able to take the first game of the series but Boston recovered to grab the last two. Injuries continue to weigh on Craig Counsell‘s squad as they prepare to play four games against the Mets at Citi Field starting Monday.
New York (14-13) stumbled out of the gate in 2024, losing their first five before winning seven of eight to get back above the .500 mark. Their .704 team OPS is right in the middle of baseball at 15th, but they’ve got some big hitters. Cubs fans don’t need a reminder of how dangerous Pete Alonso is after the hulking first baseman hit four home runs against them in a series last August.
Francisco Lindor has gotten off to a bit of a slow start and Harrison Bader always seems to be annoying at the plate. Talented young catcher Francisco Alvarez injured his thumb and is out for at least a month.
The Mets’ pitching has been pretty good so far with a staff ERA of 3.56, ranking 8th in MLB despite being without ace Kodai Senga. He is working his way back from an arm injury suffered this spring as part of a rash of issues that have befallen pitchers all over the game. Old friend José Quintana has combined with Luis Severino and Sean Manaea to form a pretty effective triumvirate atop the rotation.
Closer Edwin Díaz is back from a freak Achilles injury suffered celebrating in the WBC last year and has only allowed three runs in 9.2 innings pitched. New York’s bullpen has been very good overall with a 2.73 ERA and primary setup man Adam Ottavino in particular is having a very nice start.
Anyone who knows anything about Cubs history knows they have often struggled against the Mets in Queens. Expectations are significantly lower in Flushing Meadows this season than they were in 2023. That doesn’t mean this team is a pushover, however, as the roster is still full of star players who can do damage at any point.
A few injured Cubs are getting close to a return but they won’t be available in New York this week. This series is going to be a battle and the Cubs just need survive it without being mauled by the Polar Bear.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Monday, April 29 at 6:10pm CT on Marquee.
- Tuesday, April 30 at 6:10pm CT on MLB Network (out of market only) and Marquee.
- Wednesday, May 1 at 6:10pm CT on Marquee.
- Thursday, May 2 at 12:10pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 4/29 | Jameson Taillon | 32 | R | 1.69 | 2-0 | 3.46 | 4.00 |
| Luis Severino | 30 | R | 2.67 | 2-2 | 3.33 | 2.89 | |
| 4/30 | Javier Assad | 26 | R | 2.00 | 2-0 | 3.33 | 2.89 |
| Sean Manaea | 32 | L | 3.33 | 1-1 | 3.47 | 1.93 | |
| 5/1 | Shōta Imanaga | 30 | L | 0.96 | 4-0 | 2.42 | 9.33 |
| José Buttó | 26 | R | 2.86 | 0-1 | 4.14 | 2.08 | |
| 5/2 | Ben Brown | 24 | R | 4.30 | 0-1 | 3.18 | 3.67 |
| Adrian Houser | 31 | R | 8.37 | 0-3 | 4.83 | 0.88 |
What to Watch For
- Michael Busch got on base five times against the Red Sox after getting almost nothing against the Astros.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong got a hit in every game at Fenway as he feels more comfortable in the major leagues.
- Starling Marte has gotten off to a good start but he missed this weekend’s games on the bereavement list.
- Imanaga gave up a solo home run in his last start but was otherwise outstanding.