Kodai Senga Has a 9.00 ERA and Pete Crow-Armstrong Is Batting .437: Good Luck, Mets!

Alright, Emerald City, you won't believe the wild scene brewing out east! Seriously, put down your IPA for a minute, because what’s happening with the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs is pure chaos. Storms literally postponed their Monday series opener, and now these two squads are scrambling to play a four-game set, kicking off Tuesday night. Both teams are absolutely desperate for some kind of momentum, anything at all, before the All-Star break hits in mid-July. One team's pitching is collapsing, the other's offense is exploding, and it's a total high-stakes mess.

The Mets Are Bleeding, But Soto's Still a Beast

You want to talk about underperforming? The Mets have dropped seven of their last 12 games, and their manager, Carlos Mendoza, admitted, "It's on us to continue to figure this thing out, try to help these guys. Those are the guys that we're counting on, and we need to help them." It sounds like a broken record, right? But amidst the struggle, one guy is absolutely torching the league: Juan Soto. That four-time All-Star left fielder has reached base safely in a ridiculous 13 straight games, batting an insane .386 with four homers and nine RBIs during that stretch. He's putting on a show, but is it enough to lift the whole team?

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There's a glimmer of hope on the horizon, though. Shortstop Francisco Lindor, who's been sidelined since April 22 with a strained left calf, is expected to play in his third rehab game Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse. Could he be back in the lineup as soon as Wednesday? Mendoza said they'll "reassess after the game and see what's next for him," so get ready for some potential drama there.

Senga's ERA Is a Nightmare, While Crow-Armstrong Is Unstoppable

Now, let's talk about pitching, specifically the Mets'. Kodai Senga returned from a seven-week stint on the injured list for lumbar spine inflammation, and it hasn't been pretty. His ERA sits at a shocking 9.00 with an 0-5 record. Last Tuesday, he gave up four runs in four innings in a 5-3 loss, and earlier this season, he yielded seven runs (six earned) in a 12-4 road loss to the Cubs back on April 17. He's got a career 6.91 ERA against Chicago in three starts. And it’s not just Senga: Freddy Peralta coughed up a career-high 10 runs on Saturday, and David Peterson allowed five runs (four earned) on Sunday. Yikes.

Across the dugout, the Cubs are no strangers to wild swings. They opened the season 27-12, but since then, they've gone a brutal 13-25. That's a huge slide! But here’s the thing: they've got Pete Crow-Armstrong, and he's basically on fire. He was just named NL Player of the Week on Monday, which is his second time winning it in two weeks, the first being on June 8! For the month of June, this guy is hitting an absurd .437 with nine homers and 14 RBIs. For the whole season, he's batting .286 with 16 home runs and 40 RBIs. Cubs manager Craig Counsell summed it up perfectly: "His production has just been excellent. His production is taking a big step forward, and that's meaningful for us." Senga will need to be extra cautious against him, that’s for sure.

So, the series opener goes down Tuesday with Chicago's Edward Cabrera (4-4, 5.21 ERA) facing Senga. Cabrera, who just had a cramp scare last week, better be ready because the Cubs need him to step up. For both these teams, it’s more than just a series; it’s about finding a pulse before the All-Star break. Every single pitch, every at-bat, is going to matter. Here in the Emerald City, we're watching this madness unfold. Let's keep that Mariners energy high, folks!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.