ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cubs haven’t exactly been ripping the cover off the baseball, but they did enough Tuesday to squeak out a 1-0 win, snapping a five-game losing streak where they scored a total of six runs.
Chicago’s last win prior to their slide was also a 1-0 victory, giving them a grand total of eight runs in their last seven games. The under is 6-1 in those seven games and 8-1-1 in Chicago’s last 10. The win also gave the Cubs a 5-0 record against the Mets this season.
It’s been a struggle for the Mets to put runs on the board as well recently. New York has scored more than two runs just once in their last eight games with a couple of 1-0 losses bookending their streak. The under is 7-1 in that stretch, however the Mets split those eight games behind solid pitching. Tuesday’s loss stopped a six-game home winning streak and was just their second defeat in the last 10 games at Citi Field. New York remains a top team at home with a 29-12 record through 41 games, up 14.81 units on the moneyline.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Jake Arrieta (7-5, 2.94 ERA) pitched well enough for a win in his last outing, holding the Cardinals to one run over seven innings. He allowed just three hits and struck out seven while retiring 16 of the final 17 batters he faced and left in position for the win. However the bullpen couldn’t hold it in a 3-2 loss. He went 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in five June starts.
Arrieta fanned a season-high 10 giving up three hits and a run beating the Mets 6-1 on May 12. He owns a 2.03 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 26.2 innings in four career starts against them.
Jacob deGrom (8-5, 2.15 ERA) pitched brilliantly Thursday in a winning effort, tossing eight scoreless innings against Milwaukee. He scattered four hits while striking out seven without a walk. He’s been filthy over his last eight starts going 5-1 with a 1.23 ERA, 63 strikeouts and only six walks in 58.2 innings. Opponents are batting .160 against him.
DeGrom was touched for five hits and four earned giving up a pair of homers in a season-low five innings in a loss at Chicago on May 11. He has a 7.20 ERA in two career starts against the Cubs.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“We’ve got to get our bats going. And if we don’t, we’re going to have a tough time. We can keep pitching great, but we’ve got to start putting some offense out there.” – Mets manager Terry Collins following Tuesday’s 1-0 loss.
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon is up to his old tricks again. Rather he had someone do the tricks. Maddon brought in a magician after the team arrived in New York for their series. The manager felt the Cubs needed some sort of mental break after losing five straight, including three to the Cardinals over the weekend. “We were talking about how we needed some magic around here, so why not bring in a magician? Maddon said. This isn’t the first trick Maddon pulled from his sleeve. He long ago established a reputation for out-of-the-box methods of morale building while with the Tampa Bay Rays, bringing in a magician to perform for his team in 2013. The Rays won their next two following that performance. They got off to a good start with Tuesday’s 1-0 win, though the Cubs are still waiting for the magic to return to their bats.
PROP TALK
Mets’ starter Jacob deGrom has been roughed up in two previous starts against the Cubs, but the kid has put up some ridiculous numbers over his last eight starts. And the way Chicago is hitting – or isn’t hitting – it’s hard to think the Cubs can get to him again. In eight starts since losing at Chicago on May 11, deGrom is 5-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 58.2 innings. He’s pitched into the seventh inning in his last seven starts and hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs or six hits in any of those outings. He has eight or more strikeouts in a game seven times in his 15 starts with exactly 100 in his 100.1 innings pitched. He fanned five Cubs in five innings on May 11 and the over on his strikeout total is enticing.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Mets’ starter Jacob deGrom has moved into the Cy Young discussion with his impressive first half of the season. The problem for New York is that Cubs’ starter Jake Arrieta is making his own case. Two hurlers on top of their game against a pair of struggling offenses makes for a low-scoring affair. The Cubs seemingly have the potential to score more runs and have roughed up deGrom in a pair of starts, including one earlier this season when Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo both went yard. We like the Cubs to string enough together and eke out a win.
Chicago 3, New York 2
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, player props and inning totals. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets is scheduled for Thursday, July 2, 2015, at 1:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field. The game will be televised live on WGN and SNY.
