Mets vs Cubs Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for May 23 (Chicago Gets Back on Track in Home Victory)

The Chicago Cubs (20-26) will aim to climb closer to the .500 mark when they host the New York Mets (25-23) at Wrigley Field in the first matchup of their three-game series on Tuesday, May 23.

Mets vs Cubs Game Info

• Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Venue: Wrigley Field -- Chicago, IL
• Coverage: SNY and Marquee SN

The Mets enter this series with momentum on their side considering they have won each of their last five games thanks to a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Cubs continue to fall in the NL Central standings as they have lost seven of their last eight games.

Mets vs Cubs Odds & Spread

• All MLB betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: NYM: (-110) | CHC: (-106)
• Spread: NYM: -1.5 (+136) | CHC: +1.5 (-164)
• Total: 8 -- Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)

The Mets enter this contest as slight road favorites on the moneyline per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 7:40 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 8 runs with the over favored at -115 odds.

Mets vs Cubs Betting Trends

• The Mets are 3-9 straight up in their last 12 away games.
• The total has hit the over in six of the Mets' eight playoff games.
• The Cubs are 4-1 straight up in their last five games against the Mets.
• The total has hit the under in 12 of the Cubs' last 18 games against the Mets.

Mets vs Cubs Prediction & Pick

The Mets will look to extend their winning streak with Kodai Senga on the mound. Senga has logged a 3.77 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across eight starts this season (4-2 record). The Cubs will counter with Drew Smyly, who has impressed with a 2.86 ERA and a league-leading 0.93 WHIP in nine starts (4-1 record).

Keep in mind Senga has never faced anyone in the Cubs lineup before, but Smyly has faced 11 of New York's 13 hitters. Only two of those 11 batters retain a batting average over .300 against the veteran as Smyly owns a 1.88 career ERA versus the Mets (24.0 innings). That experience is crucial.

The Mets have struggled on the road as of late, losing nine of their last 12 games away from Citi Field. Not only that, but they have also lost 12 of their last 18 games at Wrigley Field. The Cubs are in need of a bounce-back showing and I expect Smyly as well as home field advantage to help them find one.

Final Score Prediction: Mets: 4 | Cubs: 5

Mets vs Cubs Best Bet

I'm going to stick with Cubs moneyline as the best bet as this matchup works against the Mets in more ways than one. Senga has actually given up more hits (23) than he has logged innings pitched (20) on the road this season. New York also owns the ninth-worst batting average against left-handed pitching and is now set to face a left-handed veteran in the midst of a stellar year. Fade the Mets.

Bet: Chicago Cubs ML (-106)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.