Already leading the series 1-0, the Mets (51-61, 27-23 home) are sending Carlos Carrasco to the mound to take on the Cubs (58-55, 26-27 away) and Jameson Taillon. See who I like to come out on top in this National League matchup between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in New York.

CHICAGO CUBS VS NEW YORK METS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs -137

This game will be played at Citi Field at 7:10 ET on Tuesday, August 8th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • The Cubs will be taking on a Mets club that is just 1-4 over their last five games.
  • In their three most recent games as the favorite, the Cubs are 3-0.
  • Opponents are hitting a healthy .465 against Carlos Carrasco in his last five starts.

CHICAGO CUBS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL CENTRAL

For the season, the Cubs are 58-55 and 62-51 against the runline. In the NL Central, they are in 3rd place and have gone 21-14 against division opponents. On the road, Chicago have won three straight series. The Cubs’ season-long over/under record sits at 60-48.

The Cubs will turn to Jameson Taillon, who has a 6-6 record in 19 appearances this season. His ERA stands at 5.36, and he has a K/9 of 7.85. Additionally, Taillon’s FIP is 4.65 and his OBP is .325.

The Chicago Cubs are hoping that Jameson Taillon can lead them to another victory, as they triumphed over the Reds (5-3) in his last outing. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on seven hits in five innings of work.

During their last five games, Chicago is the 15th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .229 and are averaging 4.2 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Cubs are hitting .257 with an OBP of .334 while averaging 5.1 runs per contest. This figure puts them 5th in the league.

Nico Hoerner has been the Cubs’ offensive leader this season, boasting a .274 batting average. He has also recorded a .395 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .331.

WILL THE NEW YORK METS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Leading up to today’s game, the Mets are 4th in the NL East on a record of 51-61. Overall, they have played in 37 different series, going 12-20-5. When playing above .500 teams, the Mets are 51-61, and currently hold win percentages of 54.0% at home and 38.7% on the road.

The Mets will turn to Carlos Carrasco as their starter for the season. Through 16 appearances, the right-hander has a 3-6 record, 6.60 ERA, 6.13 K/9, 5.99 FIP and .360 OBP.

Carlos Carrasco was unable to secure a victory for the Mets in his most recent start, as he was charged with the 9-2 loss against the Royals. The right-hander pitched for six innings, but allowed six runs on eight hits.

So far this season, the Mets’ has gone deep 140 times, placing them 10th in the league. Over New York’s previous five games, they are 12th in runs scored, with their season average of 4.4 runs per game putting them 17th in the league. The Mets’ overall team batting average stands at .237 along with an OBP of .317.

The Mets’ offensive leader this season, Brandon Nimmo, has a .254 batting average and is the team’s top hitter. He boasts a .427 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .351.