It has been a bad week and a half for the Mets. They enter play today last place in the NL East, five games out of first place with a 7-12 record and on an eight game losing streak. The Mets desperately need to snap their streak. They are facing a Cubs team this weekend that is also in last place, but are 9-9, only 1.5 games out of first place. The Cubs are looking to extend their winning streak to three games this afternoon. Can the Mets let this losing streak blow away in the wind today?
Kodai Senga’s last start was one to forget. Senga allowed seven runs from eight hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings. This ballooned his season ERA from 3.09 to 7.07. Senga allowed two home runs, the first two that he allowed this season. His season FIP though is a respectable 3.80. Senga did not face the Cubs last season and the Cubs have the following career numbers against him:
- Alex Bregman 1-3, 2B
- Michael Conforto 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K
- Ian Happ 2-6, 2 K
- Nico Hoerner 1-5, BB, 3 K
- Carson Kelly 0-3, 2 K
- Seiya Suzuki 1-2, BB
- Dansby Swanson 1-6, 2B, 2 K
Edward Cabrera is off to a good start in 2026. Over three starts he has tossed 16 2/3 innings with a 1.62 ERA, 3.22 FIP, 1.140 WHIP and a 231 ERA+. His last start though was quite average. He allowed three runs from eight hits and three walks over five innings while striking out four. Cabrera had two very different starts against the Mets last season. In Queens he allowed six runs, five earned, from eight hits and a walk over four innings including three homers. His last start of the season was against the Mets in Chicago, and he held the Mets scoreless over five innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Francisco Alvarez 1-4, 2 K
- Brett Baty 2-2
- Francisco Lindor 3-18, HR, 6 BB, 4 K
- MJ Melendez 0-1, BB
- Tommy Pham 0-2, K
- Luis Robert Jr. 1-2, 2B, K
- Tyrone Taylor 2-7, 3 K
- Luis Torrens 0-2, K
- Mark Vientos 3-7, HR, BB, 2 K
Three Things To Watch For:
- MJ Melendez. Before Wednesday’s game the Mets announced that Jared Young needs meniscus surgery and could be out for two months. MJ Melendez was called up and had a great first game going 2-for-4 with two doubles. Melendez struggled in 23 games with the Royals last season slashing .083/.154/.167 with a -10 OPS+. He was doing alright in Syracuse before getting called up going 11-for-51 with three doubles, a triple and a home run (.216/.286/.431). The Mets need any spark they can get right now!
- Please stop striking out. The Mets have had several games in a row where they were barely getting hits. Wednesday the Mets were struggling to get the bat on the ball. The team had 14 total strikeouts including two strikeout days from Lindor, Robert Jr., Baty, Melendez and Pham. Just a really bad night. Will the Mets change their approach at the plate this afternoon?
- An old friend. Michael Conforto burst on the scene for the 2015 Mets with a 130 OPS+. He hit two home runs in game four of the World Series. After a couple of solid years in San Francisco (100 OPS+, 115 OPS+) he is trying to rebound after a hard year with the Dodgers where he hit .199/.305/.333 (81 OPS+) over 138 games. This season he has played in 12 games and has come off the bench as a pinch hitter three games in a row. He is 6-for-22 with two doubles and six walks (.273/.429/.364, 136 OPS+). Here’s hoping he has a successful year – just not against the Mets.
Let’s Go Mets!
