Chicago Cubs vs New York Mets Starting Lineup — Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026
Final Lineups
Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets · Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026
| # | Batter | AVG | OBP | OPS | HR | RBI | vAVG | vOPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Bregman | 0.249 | 0.338 | 0.719 | 12 | 53 | 0.250 | 0.665 |
| 2 | Carson Kelly | 0.265 | 0.350 | 0.732 | 7 | 42 | 0.333 | 0.981 |
| 3 | Dansby Swanson | 0.214 | 0.292 | 0.689 | 17 | 63 | 0.213 | 0.696 |
| 4 | Ian Happ | 0.216 | 0.324 | 0.744 | 20 | 51 | 0.174 | 0.586 |
| 5 | Justin Dean | 0.375 | 0.500 | 1.125 | 0 | 3 | — | — |
| # | Batter | AVG | OBP | OPS | HR | RBI | vAVG | vOPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A.J. Ewing | 0.262 | 0.334 | 0.731 | 7 | 28 | 0.189 | 0.640 |
| 2 | Bo Bichette | 0.263 | 0.307 | 0.685 | 11 | 59 | 0.259 | 0.783 |
| 3 | Brett Baty | 0.214 | 0.283 | 0.604 | 7 | 34 | 0.163 | 0.498 |
| 4 | Carson Benge | 0.272 | 0.332 | 0.744 | 13 | 47 | 0.293 | 0.783 |
| 5 | Eric Wagaman | 0.190 | 0.277 | 0.610 | 2 | 4 | 0.267 | 0.856 |
Chicago Cubs at New York Mets (2026-06-24). Shota Imanaga vs Sean Manaea at Citi Field.
Shota Imanaga enters this matchup with a season ERA of 4.26 and a WHIP of 1.06 over 86.2 innings across 15 starts, demonstrating a solid ability to limit baserunners. His strikeout rate of 8.72 K/9 is respectable, paired with a controlled 2.28 BB/9, although his home run rate of 1.77 HR/9 is a concern. Imanaga's recent trend ERA is up, and he has a 50% quality start percentage, indicating some inconsistency in deep outings. Sean Manaea, on the other hand, has a slightly higher season ERA of 4.64 and a WHIP of 1.34 across 54.1 innings in 2 starts, with a higher K/9 of 9.28 but also a higher BB/9 of 2.98. Manaea's home run rate of 0.99 HR/9 is better than Imanaga's, but his quality start percentage is 0%, suggesting he has struggled to go deep into games. Manaea's recent trend ERA is down, which could indicate improved form despite his limited starts.
The Cubs' offense has been more potent this season, boasting an OPS of 0.740 and scoring 375 runs, compared to the Mets' 0.670 OPS and 317 runs. Chicago's hitting metrics, including a 0.243 batting average and 0.338 on-base percentage, suggest a more consistent ability to get on base and drive in runs. On the pitching side, the Cubs have a team ERA of 4.28 and a WHIP of 1.24, allowing 115 home runs. The Mets' pitching staff has a slightly better team ERA of 4.12 and a WHIP of 1.28, with a lower home run allowed total of 80, indicating a potential advantage in run prevention. The Cubs have been inconsistent in their recent form, while the Mets have shown more wins in their last ten games.
Looking at the head-to-head history, the Mets have had a slight edge over the Cubs in recent meetings from 2025, winning four of the six contests. The total line for this game is set at 8.5 runs, which aligns with the pitching matchup featuring two left-handers who have shown some vulnerability to runs, particularly Imanaga's higher home run rate and Manaea's struggles to pitch deep. The Cubs' stronger offense could challenge the Mets' pitching, while the Mets' ability to limit home runs could be a factor against Chicago's lineup.