How Cubs Starting Pitchers Have Performed Against the Mets Hitters

The Mets and Giants square off Wednesday (7:00pm CDT) in the NL Wild Card Game with the winner advancing to the NLDS to take on the Cubs. Noah Syndergaard is facing Madison Bumgarner in the one-game playoff at Citi Field. Neither team will be able to use its best starting pitcher until the third game of the NLDS.

The Cubs have a fully rested starting staff. Joe Maddon was able to lineup his rotation for the NLDS that gives his team the best chance to succeed in the best-of-five series. Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks start games one and two at Wrigley Field. Jake Arrieta is scheduled for game three and John Lackey will start game four, if the NLDS goes four games.

The Cubs played both the Mets and Giants seven times this season. The Cubs were 2-5 against the Mets (2-1 at Wrigley) and 4-3 versus the Giants (3-1 at Wrigley)

The Cubs were pounded and swept at Citi Field as the first half of the season came to an end. The Cubs looked like a different team against the Metropolitans at Wrigley Field a couple of weeks after the trip to Queens.

As the Cubs wait to find out which team they will face Friday at Wrigley Field in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, a series of four reports will be posted that focuses on the numbers Cubs hitters have against both the Mets and Giants starting pitchers and how the Giants and Mets have fared against the Cubs starters.

After taking a look at the Cubs numbers against the Mets and Giants starting pitchers, here’s how Cubs starting pitchers have performed against the Mets hitters.

Jon Lester

Jon Lester was 19-5 in 32 starts this season with a 2.44 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 3.41 FIP. Lester allowed 57 runs, 55 earned, on 154 hits with 52 walks and 197 strikeouts in 202 2/3 innings.

Lester was 10-2 in 15 starts at Wrigley with a 1.74 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. Lester faced the Mets twice this season. And his outing at Citi Field was by far his worst start of the season.

The Cubs and Lester were running on fumes by the time they rolled into Citi Field in the first week of July. Lester gave up eight runs on nine hits with a walk and two strikeouts. The Mets took BP against Lester. Three of the nine hits in 1 1/3 innings went for home runs.

Lester was a completely different pitcher after that start in Queens. Lester was 10-1 in 14 starts after the break with a 1.76 ERA and 0.93 WHIP.

Lester dominated the Mets at Wrigley on July 18. Lester allowed one run on four hits, a solo homer by Wilmer Flores, with three walks and three strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. The Cubs won 5-1.

In two starts against the Mets this season, Lester was 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.89 WHIP. And for his career, Lester is 3-1 in five starts with a 4.67 ERA and 1.52 WHIP.

Mets Career Numbers against Lester

Curtis Granderson: 16-for-53 with two doubles, one triple, three home runs and three walks
Asdrubal Cabrera: 7-for-30 with two doubles and one walk
Jose Reyes: 4-for-29 with two walks
Yoenis Cespedes: 3-for-21 with two walks
Jay Bruce: 3-for-20 with one double
James Loney: 4-for-16 with one double and two walks
Kelly Johnson: 1-for-16 with two walks
Alejandro De Aza: 4-for-14 with four double and one walk
Juan Lagares: 4-for-12 with two doubles and one walk
Travis d’Arnaud: 2-for-5 with one home run and one walk
Lucas Duda: 2-for-6 with one home run
Kevin Plawecki: 2-for-6
Eric Campbell: one walk
Matt Reynolds: 1-for-1 with one double
Rene Rivera: 1-for-1 with one home run

Mets Numbers against Lester in 2016

Jay Bruce: 1-for-9
Curtis Granderson: 3-for-6 with one home run
Yoenis Cespedes: 1-for-5
Juan Lagares: 1-for-5 with one double
Jose Reyes: 1-for-4
Asdrubal Cabrera: 0-for-3
Travis d’Arnaud: 0-for-2 with one walk
Kelly Johnson: 0-for-1
James Loney: 0-for-1
Matt Reynolds: 1-for-1 with one double
Rene Rivera: 1-for-1 with one home run

If Lester is off, the Mets have shown this season they can take advantage. And it will be up to David Ross to control the run game. The Mets will run on Lester once they get on base. Defense is key for Lester’s matchups with the Mets. The Cubs did not make the plays behind Lester in Queens and did at Wrigley Field.

Kyle Hendricks

Kyle Hendricks was 16-8 with a 2.13 EERA, 0.97 WHIP and 3.20 FIP in 31 games, 30 starts, this season. In 190 innings, Hendricks allowed 53 runs, 45 earned, on 142 hits with 44 walks and 170 strikeouts.

Hendricks appeared in 15 games with 14 starts at Wrigley this season. Hendricks was 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA and 0.86 WHIP at Wrigley. Hendricks allowed 17 runs, 14 earned, on 68 hits with 14 walks and 89 strikeouts in 95 1/3 innings.

Hendricks faced the Metropolitans only one time this season and blanked time for 6 1/3 innings. Hendricks gave up seven hits on July 20 at Wrigley with a walk and seven strikeouts in a 6-2 Cubs win.

For his career, Hendricks is 3-0 in three starts against the Mets with a 0.47 ERA and 0.88 WHIP. Hendricks has allowed one run on 13 hits with four walks and 16 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings.

Mets Career Numbers against Hendricks

Jay Bruce: 1-for-12
Curtis Granderson: 1-for-11
Travis d’Arnaud: 3-for-7 with one double and one walk
Lucas Duda: 3-for-6 with one home run and two walks
Juan Lagares: 0-for-8
Kelly Johnson: 4-for-5
Jose Reyes: 1-for-6
Michael Conforto: 1-for-3 with one double
James Loney: 1-for-3
Yoenis Cespedes: 1-for-2 with one double
Keven Plawecki: 1-for-2

Kyle Hendricks made one start versus the Mets this season. Hendricks did not allow any runs, gave up seven hits and a walk while striking out seven in 6 1/3 innings.

Jake Arrieta

Jake Arrieta was 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 3.52 FIP in 31 starts this season. Arrieta gave up 72 runs, 68 earned, on 138 hits with 76 walks and 190 strikeouts in 197 1/3 innings.

Arrieta was 11-3 in 15 starts on the road this season with a 3.59 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Three of Arrieta’s best starts over the last 18 months have been outside of Wrigley. Arrieta no-hit the Dodgers and Reds and pitched the gem at PNC Park in the NL Wild Card Game a year ago.

Arrieta faced the Mets twice this season and was 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Arrieta struggled at Citi Field and lasted only 5 1/3 innings. Arrieta gave up four runs on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings in a 4-3 Cubs loss on July 2.

For his career, Arrieta is 2-2 in seven starts against the Mets with a 2.30 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. At Citi Field, Arrieta is 1-2 in four starts with a 2.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.

Mets Career Numbers against Arrieta

Curtis Granderson: 11-for-34 with two doubles, one triple, three walks and four strikeouts
Jay Bruce: 3-for-16 with one double and one walk
Lucas Duda: 4-for-13 with three walks
Asdrubal Cabrera: 5-for-14 with two home runs and one walk
Yoenis Cespedes: 4-for-14 with one double and one walk
Alejandro De Aza: 3-for-8 with one walk
Kelly Johnson: 0-for-6 with three walks
James Loney: 0-for-7 with one walk
Travis d’Arnaud: 3-for-7
Eric Campbell: 0-for-6
Jose Reyes: 2-for-6 with one triple
Michael Conforto: 0-for-4 with one walk
Juan Lagares: 0-for-3
Kevin Plawecki: 0-for-2
Rene Rivera: 2-for-3

Mets Numbers against Arrieta in 2016

Jay Bruce: 1-for-5 with one walk
Asdrubal Cabrera: 1-for-6
Yoenis Cespedes: 2-for-6 with one double
James Loney: 0-for-6
Alejandro De Aza: 1-for-3 with one walk
Michael Conforto: 0-for-2 with one walk
Travis d’Arnaud: 2-for-3
Curtis Granderson: 0-for-2
Jose Reyes: 1-for-3 with one triple
Rene Rivera: 2-for-3

With Miguel Montero behind the plate (Arrieta’s ERA, 3.02), Arrieta will have a comfort zone with his catcher. Arrieta has to limit the baserunners to keep the Mets from taking bases at will against Montero.

John Lackey

John Lackey was 11-8 in 29 starts with a 3.35 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 3.81 FIP for the Cubs this season. Lackey struggled on the road with bad starts in Phoenix, Cincinnati, Miami and Pittsburgh. Lackey was 4-4 in 13 starts outside of Wrigley with a 4.37 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.

Lackey faced the Mets once this season. Lackey allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts on June 30 at Citi Field. Lackey received a no-decision in a 4-3 Cubs loss.

Lackey is 2-0 in five career starts against the Mets with a 2.14 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. At Citi Field, Lackey has two no decisions in two starts with a 2.03 ERA and 0.75 WHIP (three runs, eight hits, two walks, 11 strikeouts, 13 1/3 innings).

Mets Career Numbers against Lackey

Curtis Granderson: 10-for-41 with two doubles, two triples, one home run and five walks
Asdrubal Cabrera: 7-for-34 with two doubles, one home run and one walk
Jay Bruce: 5-for-29 with one double, two home runs and two walks
James Loney: 9-for-32 with four doubles and one home run
Kelly Johnson: 6-for-28 with two doubles and one walk
Yoenis Cespedes: 2-for-7 with one double, one home run and one walk
Jose Reyes: 3-for-8 with one walk
Lucas Duda: 2-for-7
Eric Campbell: 1-for-3
Travis d’Arnaud: 2-for-2 with one walk
Alejandro De Aza: 1-for-2 with one walk
Juan Lagares: 0-for-2
Kevin Plawecki: 0-for-2

John Lackey made one start against the Mets this season and it was a good one at Citi Field. Lackey put his team in position to win the game.

• Up Next: How Cubs Starting Pitchers Have Performed Against the Giants Hitters