Chicago Cubs will have their hands full against loaded Mets staff

Chicago Cubs: Mets capable of playing spoiler yet again

When the Mets decided to add rather than sell at the trade deadline, everyone laughed. When I say everyone, I mean everyone. As of July 31, Fangraphs pegged the Mets’ postseason chances at a measly 19.1 percent. Meanwhile, Chicago sat at 78.6 percent – not a slam dunk, but a number you feel pretty good about.

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Fast forward nearly a month. New York enters this three-game series with 31.7 percent chances. So their odds, while still not even close to 50/50 are notably better than they were. The Cubs? Well, they’ve essentially fallen the same amount the Mets have climbed – entering Tuesday at 66.7 percent.

The Cubs’ horrendous road record has erased any trace of momentum they might have gained from their strong play at home. So now having to go on the road and take on the Mets (and their three strongest starters at that) doesn’t make you feel great – to say the least.

As Bleacher Nation pointed out Monday, the Cubs have put themselves in quite the predicament. Any three-game sweep in front of your home fans is bad.

But in losing three straight to the Nationals, Chicago not only lost ground in the division but enter Tuesday four back of Washington for the top Wild Card Spot. The Mets, meanwhile, are just two games behind Chicago for the second spot.

Oh, goody.

So what I’m telling you is it’s time to hope the Cubs finally get their act together on the road. If they don’t, by the time they return to Wrigley Field on Friday to take on the rival Milwaukee Brewers, they may very well be out of a postseason berth altogether – with the Mets in a position to return to October.

Chicago Cubs: Mets capable of playing spoiler yet again

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