No team has ever locked up a division title in the month of June, and while that trend will surely continue unabated, there are some baseball fans who already believe that the result of the NL Central is a foregone conclusion. Everyone is getting a little swept up in the Chicago Cubs story, and the fact that they have a 10-game lead in what was expected to be one of the toughest divisions in professional ball is only adding fuel to the fire. The Cubs came out of nowhere last season to put together a great season with a talented group of youngsters, and that experience seems to have given a major boost of confidence to the entire squad. There is still an awful long way to go in the season, though, and while the Cubs may be among the MLB betting odds favorites now, things do change. They have a tough trip to New York this week, and will face the Mets at Citi Field on Thursday night.

How To Bet The Cubs vs. Mets MLB Odds, TV & Game Info

When: Thursday, June 30 at 7:10 PM EST Where: Citi Field, New York Starting Pitchers: Cubs: John Lackey (7-4) vs. Mets: Steven Matz (7-3) TV: CSN, SNY Radio: Cubs and Mets Live Stream: CSN MLB Odds: TBA

Why bet on the Chicago Cubs

The Cubs (50-26) are coming off a bit of a poor run that suggests that they may be human after all. Losing 6 of 7 in the latter part of June was far and away the worst part of the season so far for the Cubbies, but they look to be coming out of that with back to back wins against the Reds, where they also hammered home 18 runs. They will try to complete the sweep in Cincinnati before heading to New York to face the Mets on Thursday. Being away from home is not something that seems to bother Chicago, as they are 25-15 on the road this season, although their last few series away from Wrigley have not gone as well as expected. Veteran John Lackey (7-4, 3.29 ERA) will get the start for the Cubs.

Why bet on the New York Mets

Not only are the Mets (40-36) going through a bit of a rough patch, they are also losing ground in the NL East division race. Back to back losses to the Washington Nationals have seen them fall 5 games off the pace, and has allowed the Miami Marlins to move into the second spot. It is now 3 losses in a row for the Mets, which takes them to just 4-6 in their last 10 games. If there is a bright side in all of this, it’s that the Mets have been good against teams from the Central so far this season, posting an 11-5 record thus far. Steven Matz (7-3, 3,29 ERA) is expected to get the start for the Mets.

My Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The last few starts for Steven Matz have not gone particularly well, and that is good news for a Cubs teams that is hitting hard again. I like the Cubs to get this series off to a winning start.Chicago Cubs 5 New York Mets 2