NEW YORK _ Gone are the days when the Mets and Cubs were NL East rivals. "Second wild-card spot rivals" doesn't have the same ring to it, but that's what will be on tap beginning Tuesday as Chicago visits Citi Field for the first of a three-game series.
The Mets and Cubs were both swept in three-game series over the weekend, the Mets by the Braves and the Cubs by the Nationals. The difference is the Cubs still hold the second NL wild-card spot while the Mets are on the outside looking up.
Going into Monday night's games, the Mets were tied with the Brewers two games behind Chicago. The Phillies were 1{ games back. So the Mets have to take care of business against the Cubs, but also they have to keep one eye on the scoreboard to see what the other wild-card contenders are up to.
