Game Seventy-Five: Cubs (39-35) vs. Mets (40-37)
- Game Time – 6:10pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet, ESPN – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 184, 844
- Location – Citi Field, Flushing
Kyle Hendricks (2-4, 4.46/1.22/3.71) vs. Jon Niese (3-7, 4.12/1.52/4.38)
Weather permitting … The Cubs’ six-game, two-city road trip resumes tonight with the first of three against the Metropolitans. The series wraps with a Thursday matinee at Citi Field. The Cubs turn to Kyle Hendricks to cool off the Mets and end the team’s five-game skid.
The Cubs face a big challenge the next three days, beating the Mets in their home park. The Cubs won all four against the New Yorkers at Wrigley, but Terry Collins’ team is much better at home than on the road. The Mets are 29-11 at Citi Field, the second best home mark in all of baseball, tied for the most home victories with the Cardinals.
After tonight’s matchup of Kyle Hendricks and Jon Niese, Jon Lester is scheduled to face Bartolo Colon on Wednesday night. With a lefty and then Lester in the first two games, David Ross should be in the starting lineup for the first two games of the series. Jake Arrieta and Jacob deGrom square off in the series and season series finale on Thursday.
Tonight all starts with Kyle Hendricks …
There are no two ways about it. The Cubs need to see improvement from Kyle Hendricks tonight. Hendricks has really struggled each of the last two times out. And he put together one good outing in the past month. Hendricks is 1-3 in his last five starts with a 5.88 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.
Hendricks has not fared too well on the road. In eight starts outside of Wrigley, Hendricks is 2-2 with a 4.80 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. The Cubs are 2-4 in his last six starts on the road.
Kyle Hendricks missed the Mets earlier in the year at Wrigley. Hendricks was very good last August 18 at Citi Field. Hendricks beat the Mets after allowing one run on three hits with two walks. Hendricks struck out three batters in seven innings.
Mets Career Numbers against Kyle Hendricks
- Lucas Duda: 1-for-2 with one home run and one walk
- Curtis Granderson: 1-for-3
- Juan Lagares: 0-for-3
- Wilmer Flores: 0-for-2
- Jon Niese: 0-for-1
The Cubs get their second look of the season at lefty Jon Niese, a pitcher the front office reportedly talked to the Mets about at some point. Niese is coming off a solid start against the Brewers at Miller Park. The lefty gave up two runs on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts in six innings. Niese is 0-2 in his last four starts with a 3.46 and 1.38 WHIP.
In six starts at Citi Field, Jon Niese is 2-2 with a 4.25 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Niese has allowed 20 runs, 17 earned, on 45 hits with 10 walks and 22 strikeouts in 36 innings.
The Cubs made Niese work at Wrigley back on May 14. Niese pitched into the seventh inning (6 1/3 innings) but gave up six runs, four earned, on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts. For his career, Jon Niese is 3-5 in nine starts against the Cubs with a 5.23 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Jon Niese
- Starlin Castro: 5-for-22 with one triple and one home run
- David Ross: 6-for-20 with one double, one triple, one home run and one walk
- Anthony Rizzo: 2-for-13 with one double and one walk
- Dexter Fowler: 4-for-14 with one home run and one walk
- Chris Coghlan: 2-for-13 with one double
- Chris Denorfia: 4-for-8 with one double and one walk
- Jonathan Herrera: 3-for-6 with one home run
- Miguel Montero: 0-for-6
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-3
- Addison Russell: 0-for-3
- Matt Szczur: 1-for-3 with one double
- Travis Wood: 0-for-1
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …