5 things to watch as Mets face Cubs during three-game series in Chicago
The Mets take their five-game winning streak to Chicago for a three-game series with the Cubs that starts Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
Here are five things to watch for in the series…
1. The Mets Have Found Their Long-Ball Muscles
The winning streak has been fueled at least partly by a power surge. On their six-game homestand the Mets hit 13 home runs, including four by Pete Alonso, who now leads the majors with 17.
In their previous five games the Mets hadn’t hit a home run, and the lack of power around Alonso had been a major issue for the offense. However, the infusion of youth has made a difference. Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez each hit a clutch, late-inning home run to help the Mets start winning again, while Brett Baty hit two during the homestand.
All in all, eight different players hit home runs during the six-game run, and many of them have been crucial to pulling off late-inning comebacks.
For the season, the Mets have now hit 54 home runs, the seventh-highest total in the National League.
2. The Cubs Look Ripe to be Taken
After a hot start the Cubs have skidded to a record of 20-26. They’ve lost 10 of their last 13 games and are returning to Wrigley after a 2-7 road trip.
Pitching has been their biggest issue. Ex-Yankee Jameson Taillon, a big free-agent signing, has an 8.10 ERA and has been getting crushed by left-handed hitting. Otherwise, most of the Cubs’ pitching problems have been about the bullpen.
Nobody has more than two saves and the pen has a total of only five. Brad Boxberger, who is currently on the IL, and Michael Fulmer were the veterans counted on as high-leverage guys but neither has been effective this season, and manager David Ross has been mixing and matching with several young relievers lately, trying to find some he can rely on.
As a group, the Cubs pen has a 4.50 ERA, which ranks 13th in the NL.
3. The Mets’ Pen Has Sprung Leaks
The absence of Edwin Diaz, combined with a lack of length from Mets starters for much of the season, may be catching up with the Mets bullpen.
Most significantly, their high-leverage guys have had a rough time of it lately, perhaps in part due to a heavy workload.
Closer David Robertson was used on three straight days, something Buck Showalter tries to avoid with any of his relievers, and then for a fourth straight game (with Saturday’s rainout creating an off-day).
As good as he’s been for most of the season, Robertson has given up runs in two of his last four outings, including a home run on Sunday that could have cost the Mets if they hadn’t rallied in the bottom of the eighth.
Adam Ottavino may be of most concern. He has a 4.82 ERA after giving up five runs in his last three outings, and has surrendered three home runs this season, compared to six all of last year.
The good news for the Mets is that lefty Brooks Raley has been very good since returning from the IL last week, delivering four scoreless innings, and closed out Sunday night’s win over the Cleveland Guardians because Robertson was unavailable.
4. Can the Mets Win a Series Without their Aces?
After Sunday’s doubleheader dominance from Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, the Cubs series will be a test for the back end of the rotation, as the Mets will start Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill and Carlos Carrasco against Drew Smyly, Marcus Stroman and Taillon.
Senga and Megill are each coming off perhaps their best starts of the season, but Carrasco was bombed in his return from the IL on Friday night and, with an 8.68 , he may not have many chances left to prove he should stay in the rotation.
At some point Joey Lucchesi could be a better option than Carrasco. And as badly as David Peterson has struggled this season, he did have a strong start in Triple-A on Saturday and figures to remain on the Mets’ radar.
5. Watch Out For This Guy
Christopher Morel might be the hottest hitter in baseball -- certainly in the power department anyway. Since being recalled from Triple-A on May 8, the 24-year-old has hit eight home runs in 11 games, including seven on the Cubs’ just-concluded nine-game road trip.
Throw in the 11 he hit in Triple-A before his call-up, and Morel has hit 19 home runs in 40 games this season.
A free-agent signing out of the Dominican Republic, Morel hit 16 home runs in 113 games as a rookie with the Cubs last year, but also had 137 strikeouts, which is why he began this season in the minors.
In his 11 games since his recall, the right-handed hitting Morel has struck out 18 times yet he is hitting .370 with a .957 slugging percentage, while splitting time between second base and the outfield.
