Chicago Cubs vs New York Mets Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Monday June 22 2026
Use Code WWWC Chicago visits New York with updated picks, pitching analysis, and top MLB player props for Monday night.
Best Available Odds
Best Moneyline Odds: Chicago Cubs (-117 at BetRivers) / New York Mets (+104 at FanDuel)
Best Spread Odds: Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+140 at BetRivers) / New York Mets +1.5 (-160)
Best Total Odds: Over 8.5 (-113 at BetRivers) / Under 8.5 (-105)
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Game Info
Date: June 22, 2026
Time: 7:10 PM EDT
Location: Citi Field, Queens, NY
TV: SNY, Marquee Sports Network
Chicago Cubs vs New York Mets Preview
The Chicago Cubs enter Monday at 40-37 and remain involved in the National League Wild Card race. Chicago has won six of its last nine completed games and arrives in New York after splitting a rain-shortened series with Toronto.
The Cubs dominated Friday's opener 16-2 before allowing Toronto to erase a five-run deficit in an 8-6 loss Saturday. Sunday's scheduled finale was postponed, giving Chicago an unexpected day of rest before the four-game series at Citi Field.
Chicago has scored 366 runs while batting .244 with a .337 on-base percentage and .401 slugging percentage. The Cubs have hit 90 home runs and possess one of the National League's more patient offensive groups.
Pete Crow-Armstrong has become the centre of the lineup's recent surge. He enters batting .286 with a .363 on-base percentage and .521 slugging percentage while leading the Cubs with 83 hits.
Crow-Armstrong carries a 10-game hitting streak into Monday. He has gone 20-for-42 during that run with five home runs, four doubles, two triples, eight RBIs, and several multi-hit performances.
He also owns a 23-game on-base streak and has produced one of baseball's strongest June performances. His combination of power, speed, and improved plate discipline has created consistent pressure near the top of Chicago's order.
Ian Happ leads the Cubs with 16 home runs, while Michael Busch has driven in a team-high 42 runs. Seiya Suzuki, Alex Bregman, Carson Kelly, Nico Hoerner, Michael Conforto, and Dansby Swanson provide additional power and on-base ability throughout the lineup.
Kelly delivered six RBIs in Friday's victory over Toronto, including a first-inning grand slam. Crow-Armstrong reached base five times, and Chicago finished with 18 hits while scoring in five different innings.
The Cubs remain without several pitchers. Closer Daniel Palencia is on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, while Matthew Boyd, Hunter Harvey, Riley Martin, and Jaxon Wiggins are also unavailable.
Palencia's absence weakens the back of a bullpen that has struggled recently. Chicago relievers allowed 15 earned runs across 9.1 innings during the club's previous five games, creating late-inning risk even when the Cubs establish an early lead.
The New York Mets enter at 34-43 and in last place in the NL East. New York completed a 2-4 road trip by losing consecutive games in Philadelphia, including a 15-3 defeat Saturday and a 6-2 loss Sunday.
The Mets allowed 21 runs across the final two games of the series. Their starting rotation again placed the team in an early deficit, with David Peterson surrendering five runs during the first two innings Sunday after Freddy Peralta struggled Saturday.
New York has scored 311 runs while batting .232 with a .297 on-base percentage and .372 slugging percentage. The Mets have hit 82 home runs but have struggled to generate consistent traffic around those power swings.
Juan Soto leads the club with a .301 batting average, .398 on-base percentage, 66 hits, and 17 home runs. He enters with a five-game hitting streak and has recorded two home runs over that span.
Bo Bichette leads New York with 42 RBIs, while Carson Benge has supplied nine home runs and strong recent production from the leadoff position. Francisco Alvarez, Marcus Semien, Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, A.J. Ewing, and MJ Melendez give the Mets additional offensive options.
New York remains without Francisco Lindor, who is recovering from a calf strain. Lindor has begun playing rehabilitation games and could return later in the series, but he will not provide the Mets with their usual defensive and offensive stability Monday.
Tyrone Taylor and Ronny Mauricio are also on the injured list. Starting pitcher Christian Scott is sidelined by a hip impingement, while several relievers remain unavailable.
Starting Pitchers and Pitching Matchup
The Cubs will start left-hander Shota Imanaga, who enters at 4-6 with a 4.26 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts across 86.2 innings.
Imanaga has allowed 76 hits and only 16 walks, giving him one of the strongest strikeout-to-walk profiles in Chicago's rotation. His ability to consistently work inside the strike zone has prevented opponents from creating many rallies through free baserunners.
Home runs remain his primary vulnerability. Imanaga has allowed opposing hitters to produce damage when he leaves fastballs or splitters in the centre of the plate, contributing to an ERA higher than his excellent WHIP would normally suggest.
His recent results have improved substantially. Imanaga has allowed only one run on seven hits across 10.2 innings during his last two starts.
He most recently worked 5.2 innings against Colorado, allowing one unearned run while keeping the Cubs close enough to complete a late comeback. The performance continued an encouraging response after a difficult four-start stretch in which he surrendered 26 runs.
Both recent starts came against the Rockies, limiting how much weight should be placed on the turnaround. New York presents greater left-handed power and a more patient approach through Soto, Benge, Bichette, Alvarez, and the middle of its order.
Imanaga's command still gives him a significant advantage over Senga. He has walked fewer than two hitters per nine innings and rarely places himself in difficult situations through consecutive free passes.
The Mets have several right-handed hitters capable of attacking a left-handed starter, but the lineup has not consistently punished southpaws. Lindor's absence also removes a switch-hitting threat who normally helps balance the order.
The Mets counter with right-hander Kodai Senga, who enters at 0-5 with a 9.00 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts across 24 innings.
Senga has allowed 30 hits, 15 walks, 24 earned runs, and seven home runs through six starts. His inability to locate the fastball and establish the strike zone has repeatedly prevented him from using his forkball as an effective chase pitch.
The right-hander recently returned from a six-week absence caused by lumbar spine inflammation and ulnar nerve irritation. His first start back did not provide evidence that the command problems had been corrected.
Senga allowed four runs during the first inning against Cincinnati. Sal Stewart hit a three-run home run, Spencer Steer followed with a solo shot, and Senga needed more than 30 pitches to complete the frame.
He ultimately lasted four innings, allowing four runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five. Although he limited Cincinnati after the first inning, the early damage again placed New York in a deficit its offense could not overcome.
Before going on the injured list, Senga had allowed 17 runs and five home runs across 8.1 innings during his previous three starts. He has now surrendered at least four earned runs in five of six appearances.
Chicago is particularly well equipped to exploit his control problems. The Cubs own a .337 on-base percentage and can use Crow-Armstrong, Busch, Bregman, Happ, Suzuki, and Kelly to extend plate appearances and force Senga into the strike zone.
The Cubs also bring several productive left-handed hitters into the matchup. Crow-Armstrong, Busch, Happ, and Conforto receive the platoon advantage against Senga, whose command has been inconsistent against hitters on both sides.
The current Chicago roster has only limited experience against Senga. Those small batter-versus-pitcher samples should carry less weight than his 9.00 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, elevated walk rate, and recent home-run problems.
Game Thesis: Chicago owns the clear starting-pitching advantage. Imanaga has allowed one run across his last two starts and consistently limits walks, while Senga has surrendered four or more earned runs in five of six appearances. The Cubs' patient lineup should generate early scoring opportunities, but both bullpens and Imanaga's home-run vulnerability give New York a path to contributing enough offense for the game to reach the total.
⭐ Best Bet - Moneyline Pick: Chicago Cubs (-117)
The Cubs moneyline is the strongest game wager because the price remains modest despite the substantial difference between the starting pitchers.
Imanaga owns a 1.06 WHIP and an excellent strikeout-to-walk ratio. Senga enters with a 1.88 WHIP and has issued 15 walks in only 24 innings, creating an enormous gap in expected baserunner control.
Chicago also possesses the more productive offense. The Cubs have scored 366 runs, 55 more than New York, while carrying major advantages in batting average and on-base percentage.
Crow-Armstrong is producing at an elite level and should immediately pressure Senga from the top of the order. Busch, Bregman, Happ, Suzuki, and Kelly can then capitalize if Senga continues falling behind hitters.
The Mets remain capable of scoring against Imanaga through Soto and their collection of right-handed hitters. Chicago's weakened bullpen also prevents the Cubs from being treated as an automatic winner if the game remains close late.
However, New York's rotation has repeatedly placed the club in early deficits. Senga has allowed multiple home runs in several starts and now faces a Cubs lineup with significantly more depth than the Cincinnati group that scored four first-inning runs against him.
At a price near -117, Chicago offers strong value on the team with the better starter, superior offense, and stronger recent record.
Spread Pick: Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+140)
Chicago -1.5 is the higher-upside extension of the moneyline selection. The Cubs have a clear opportunity to create separation if Senga again struggles during the opening innings.
Senga has completed five innings only once in six starts. An early exit would force the Mets to cover at least four or five innings with a bullpen that has already faced heavy recent workloads because of the rotation's problems.
Chicago has demonstrated the ability to produce large innings against pitchers with poor command. The Cubs scored seven runs during the first inning against Toronto on Friday and finished that game with 16 runs.
Crow-Armstrong's current form creates pressure through both power and speed. Busch, Happ, Suzuki, Bregman, and Kelly can then generate extra-base damage if Senga places additional runners on base.
The primary concern is Chicago's bullpen. Palencia is unavailable, and the relief staff has surrendered substantial recent damage. A comfortable early lead could become a close game if Imanaga exits after five or six innings.
The run line therefore carries more volatility than the moneyline, but the +140 return is attractive in a matchup where a 6-3, 7-4, or 6-4 Cubs victory is realistic.
Total Pick: Over 8.5 (-113)
The Over 8.5 is the preferred total because Senga's current form gives Chicago a realistic path to scoring five or more runs without requiring significant production from New York.
Senga has allowed 24 earned runs across 24 innings. He has also surrendered seven home runs and walked 15 batters, creating several paths for the Cubs to build multi-run innings.
Chicago has scored 60 runs across its last 10 completed games. Crow-Armstrong has been one of baseball's hottest hitters, while Kelly, Happ, Suzuki, and Busch have provided enough production around him to prevent pitchers from working carefully around one batter.
New York can contribute against Imanaga. Soto enters with a five-game hitting streak and has hit two home runs during that stretch, while Bichette, Benge, Alvarez, Semien, and Vientos give the Mets additional right-handed power.
Imanaga has pitched well in his last two starts, but both came against Colorado. His full-season home-run vulnerability remains relevant against a Mets lineup that has hit 82 homers.
The bullpens further support the Over. Chicago is without its closer and has allowed 15 earned runs across 9.1 recent relief innings, while New York's rotation struggles have increased the workload placed on its bullpen.
A final score around 6-4, 7-3, or 6-3 would clear the listed total. Chicago should supply most of the scoring, but the Mets only need three or four runs to push the game into Over territory.
Top Player Prop Picks
Pete Crow-Armstrong Over 1.5 Total Bases (+110) Crow-Armstrong enters with a 10-game hitting streak during which he has collected 20 hits, five home runs, four doubles, and two triples.
He has recorded at least two total bases in eight of those 10 games and has cleared this market in 16 of his last 20 appearances.
Crow-Armstrong receives the platoon advantage against Senga and should bat near the top of Chicago's lineup. His improved plate discipline gives him a strong opportunity to reach base, while his power and speed create several paths to extra bases.
Senga has allowed seven home runs and a 1.88 WHIP through six starts. His command problems should force him to throw more hittable pitches when Crow-Armstrong works ahead in the count.
One double, triple, or home run immediately clears the line. Two singles would also be sufficient, making the plus-money Over the strongest individual prop in the matchup.
Michael Busch Over 0.5 Hits (-175) Busch enters with a team-leading 42 RBIs and remains one of Chicago's most productive hitters against right-handed pitching.
The left-handed first baseman receives the platoon advantage against Senga and should hit in a prominent position behind Crow-Armstrong and Chicago's other on-base threats.
Senga has allowed 30 hits in only 24 innings. Opponents have consistently produced traffic against him even when his forkball generates strikeouts.
Busch averages close to one hit per game and possesses enough power to punish mistakes over the plate. He should receive multiple opportunities against Senga before facing the Mets bullpen.
The price is expensive, but the combination of platoon advantage, lineup position, and Senga's 1.88 WHIP supports at least one hit.
Juan Soto Over 0.5 Hits (-210) Soto enters batting .301 with a .398 on-base percentage and .575 slugging percentage. He leads the Mets with 66 hits and 17 home runs.
He carries a five-game hitting streak into the series opener, going 8-for-19 with two home runs during that span. Soto has also recorded at least one hit in 14 of his last 15 home games.
Imanaga presents a same-handed matchup and rarely issues walks, making this more difficult than a normal Soto hit prop. Soto is nevertheless one of baseball's best left-handed hitters against same-handed pitching and should receive several plate appearances.
Imanaga's primary weakness is hard contact in the air. Soto's plate discipline allows him to wait for a fastball or splitter in a driveable location rather than expanding the strike zone.
The heavy price limits the upside, but Soto's season-long production, current hitting streak, and home performance make the Over the preferred side.
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