The New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs wrap up the first half of the season on Sunday in Chicago. The Mets will end the first half atop the NL East Division, a lead they've held for the majority of the first half. The Cubs will finish the first half battling with the Reds for the basement in the NL Central. Sunday's pitching matchup will feature lefty David Peterson (5-2, 3.48) of the Mets taking on Adrian Sampson (0-1, 3.33) of the Cubs. First pitch is scheduled for 220pm EST.
The Mets have had an outstanding first half and find themselves over 20 games over .500 as the first half comes to a close. For a portion of the first half, the Mets were arguably the best team in baseball until injuries beset their pitching staff and they fell back to the pack to some degree. Still, as the first half comes to a close, the Mets are ahead of a familiar rival, the Atlanta Braves, in the NL East. On Saturday, the Mets played a day/night doubleheader following Friday night's rainout. In game 1, the Mets struck out 16 times but won the game 2-1. The NL RBI leader, Pete Alonso, knocked in both Mets runs with a double and a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning for the win. In the second game, the Mets scored two runs in the top of the 10th and then hung on by turning a double-play with the bases loaded for a 4-3 win in ten-innings for a sweep of the doubleheader.
How about that one! #MetsWin #LGM pic.twitter.com/sm9OLXcBts
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 17, 2022
The Mets were the toast of baseball thanks to their starting pitching for much of the first two months of the season. Injuries then beset the Mets and the team got by with a number of fill-ins and got through rough patches from some of their veteran pitchers. Now, as the season heads to the second half, the Mets have Scherzer and Chris Bassitt back from IL, a comeback season from Carlos Carrasco and breakout seasons from Taijuan Walker and Sunday's starter David Peterson. Peterson has now made 12 starts out of 15 appearances with five wins and three quality starts. Peterson was 3-1 in June with a 3.18 ERA and is 1-1 thus far in July with a 4.18 ERA. Peterson is 2-1 on the road thus far this season.