Mets vs. Cubs Prediction, Computer Picks, Odds & Pitching Matchup 7/16/2022

The New York Mets (56-34) visit the Chicago Cubs (34-55) at 2:20 PM ET Saturday in a meeting between two of the league’s best hitters. Jeff McNeil is batting .310 this year (ninth in the league) for the favored Mets (-165), while Nico Hoerner ranks 10th in the majors with a .308 average for the underdog Cubs. Taijuan Walker takes the mound for New York while Marcus Stroman is Chicago’s starter for the contest.

Mets vs. Cubs Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Mets vs. Cubs

Our best bet is the Cubs on the moneyline at +140 after digging through all of the key statistics and trends for this matchup. Our computer predicts the total score will over the total of 7.5 runs.

Our computer pick: Chicago Cubs (+140) and Over (7.5)

Mets vs. Cubs Game Info

• New York Mets probable starting pitcher: Taijuan Walker
• Chicago Cubs probable starting pitcher: Marcus Stroman
• Game Day: Saturday, July 16, 2022
• Game Time: 2:20 PM ET
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Stadium: Wrigley Field

New York Mets vs Chicago Cubs Pitching Matchup

Mets Starter Taijuan Walker

• Walker gets the start for the Mets, his 16th of the season. He is 7-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 68 strikeouts through 85 2/3 innings pitched.
• In his last appearance on Sunday, the right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins while surrendering three hits.
• In 15 games this season, the 29-year-old has a 2.63 ERA and 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings, while giving up a batting average of .225 to opposing batters.
• Walker is seeking his seventh straight quality start.
• Walker is looking for his 13th straight outing lasting five or more innings. He averages 5.2 frames per appearance on the hill.
• He will face a Cubs offense that ranks 12th in MLB with 738 total hits (on a .244 batting average). The squad also slugs a collective .394 (15th in MLB) with 88 total home runs (19th in MLB).

Cubs Starter Marcus Stroman

• The Cubs will send Stroman (2-5) to the mound for his 11th start this season.
• The right-hander did not allow a run in four innings pitched on Sunday in his last outing, a matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• The 31-year-old has pitched in 10 games this season with an ERA of 4.91 and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings, with an opponent batting average of .242.
• In 10 starts this season, he’s earned a quality start in three of them.
• Stroman has made six starts of five or more innings in 10 chances this season, and averages 5.0 frames when he pitches.
• The Mets have scored 429 runs this season, which ranks third in MLB. They are batting .254 for the campaign with 91 home runs, 16th in the league.

Mets Betting Picks & Insights

• This season, the Mets have been favored 65 times and won 44, or 67.7%, of those games.
• New York has a record of 16-4 in games where bookmakers favor them by at least -165 on the moneyline.
• Sportsbooks have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Mets have a 62.3% chance to win.
• So far this season, New York and its opponents have hit the over in 47 of their 92 games with a total.
• The Mets are 50-40-0 against the spread in their 90 chances this season.

Cubs Betting Picks & Insights

• The Cubs have come away with 24 wins in the 62 contests they have been listed as the underdogs in this season.
• Chicago has a mark of 10-16 in contests where bookmakers favor them by +140 or worse on the moneyline.
• The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Cubs have a 41.7% chance of walking away with the win.
• Chicago’s games have gone over the total in 43 of their 89 opportunities.
• The Cubs have posted a record of 43-46-0 against the spread this season.

Mets Leaders & Batting Stats

• Pete Alonso paces the Mets with 24 home runs and 74 runs batted in.
• Among all batters in the majors, Alonso’s home run total ranks him fifth, and his RBI tally ranks him first.
• Alonso brings a hitting streak of two games into this game. In his last five games he is hitting .190 with a double, a home run, a walk and four RBI.
• Francisco Lindor has 12 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs and 33 walks while hitting .244.
• Including all major league hitters, Lindor ranks 31st in home runs and seventh in RBI.
• Lindor carries an eight-game streak with at least one hit into this matchup. During his last 10 outings he is batting .222 with a double, a triple, three home runs, a walk and eight RBI.
• Brandon Nimmo is batting .275 with 17 doubles, five triples, nine home runs and 35 walks.
• Nimmo has at least one base hit in two straight games. In his last five games he is hitting .300 with two doubles, a home run, four walks and an RBI.
• Starling Marte is batting .289 with 18 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 16 walks.

Cubs Leaders & Batting Stats

• Ian Happ is hitting .280 with 23 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 42 walks.
• In all of the majors, Happ is 102nd in homers and 65th in RBI.
• Happ has collected a hit in four straight games. During his last five outings he is batting .263 with a double, a home run, a walk and an RBI.
• Willson Contreras is hitting .258 with 17 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 35 walks.
• Contreras is 50th in homers and 104th in RBI among all batters in the majors.
• Hoerner leads the Cubs’ lineup with a .308 batting average.
• Patrick Wisdom leads the Cubs with 17 home runs and runs batted in, driving in 45.