Here are some notes and information on where to watch and what to expect for the primetime game on Sunday, June 23.
ESPN will host Sunday Night Baseball all season.
New York Mets (36-39) @ Chicago Cubs (37-40), 7:00 pm EDT, ESPN
Odds: Cubs -115 (ESPNBet)
Probable Starters: Luis Severino (NYM) 4-2, 3.52 ERA vs. Javier Assad (CHC) 4-2, 2.75 ERA
Preview: The biggest trend in baseball Twitter this last week has been how dominant the Mets have been since Grimace threw out the first pitch at Citi Field on June 12. Since then, the Mets have gone 8-2 and have a run differential of +31 in those games. These new Mets have made fans wish Grimace threw out the first pitch on opening day.
On the other side, the Cubs have not been able to get their bats going this season. They rank in the league’s bottom half in almost every offensive statistic and have had to rely heavily on their pitching staff, led by Japanese superstar Shota Imanaga. Imanaga signed with the Cubs this off-season and made an immediate impact. He didn’t give up more than two runs in any start until the end of May but has struggled mightily in June. They will need him to regain his ace form going forward.
The Cubs have also been a more formidable team at home, maintaining a record above .500 in contrast to their record away which is a putrid 15-23.
Severino has had the Cubs’ number in his career. In three starts against them, he has an ERA of 1.29 and 24 strikeouts, including earlier this year on April 29 when he picked up a no-decision even though he went eight innings of one-run ball.
Assad has found similar success against the Mets. In two career starts, he has an ERA of 1.63 but has failed to pitch past the sixth inning in either of those starts. Luckily for Chicago fans, the Cubs’ top arms in the bullpen should be well rested, as the first two games of this series have both been blowouts.
Prediction: It’s hard to pick against the Grimace Mets but the Cubs are tough team to beat in Chicago
The Cubs win
Photo Credit: Javier Assad of the Chicago Cubs warms up from the mound before a game. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)
