Cubs at Mets
A red-hot start provided a big cushion between the New York Mets and the .500 mark, but it’s all gone. The Mets are below the break-even mark for the first time all season and have dropped nine of their last 12 heading into the third of a four-game series against the visiting Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
New York’s bullpen has been a disaster of late, as the Mets have allowed 31 runs in the seventh inning or later over their past nine contests - seven losses. That included five runs in Friday’s 7-4 defeat, when Zack Wheeler left with two runners on and a 2-0 lead but the bullpen couldn’t hold on. The Cubs have won five of their last six overall and six of seven on the road. They have 76 hits over their past six contests, including 24 for extra bases.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Mike Montgomery (1-1, 4.35 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (4-0, 1.52)
Montgomery allowed two hits and struck out five over 5 2/3 scoreless innings to beat Pittsburgh in his first start of the season on Monday. The 28-year-old Californian had yielded six runs across 2 1/3 innings in his previous appearance out of the bullpen against Cleveland. Asdrubal Cabrera is 1-for-1 versus Montgomery, who is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two career games (one start) against the Mets.
DeGrom has not received a decision in his last two trips to the mound despite permitting one run on nine hits and five walks over 14 innings with 16 strikeouts. The 29-year-old Floridian has surrendered one run or fewer in seven consecutive outings and eight of 11 this year overall. Kris Bryant is 3-for-7 with two homers against deGrom, who is 2-2 with a 3.99 ERA in five career contests versus the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York RF Jay Bruce left Friday’s game after the fourth inning with lower back discomfort.
2. Cubs OF Ben Zobrist is 8-for-15 with three doubles, two homers, and five RBIs over the past four contests - including back-to-back three-hit games.
3. Mets OF Brandon Nimmo homered for the second straight game Friday and has 11 extra-base hits along with nine RBIs over his past 11 games.