Mets vs. Cubs line, odds, start time, spread pick, best bets for Friday afternoon's game from proven model

The New York Mets will battle the Chicago Cubs in a National League matchup on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Chicago is coming off a 6-5 win over San Francisco on Wednesday, while New York dropped a 5-3 decision at Texas. The Mets (35-38), who are 17-15 on the road in 2024, are 8-2 over their past 10 games. The Cubs (36-39), who are 21-16 at home this year, have split their past 10 games.    

The game is slated to begin at 2:20 p.m. ET in Chicago. The Cubs are the -146 money line favorites (risk $146 to win $100) in the latest Mets vs. Cubs odds, while the Mets are +123 underdogs. The over/under for total runs scored is 8.5 in the latest Cubs vs. Mets odds. Before you make any Mets vs. Cubs picks or MLB predictions, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It entered Week 13 of the 2024 MLB season on a 131-105 run on top-rated MLB picks dating back to last season. It has excelled on top-rated run-line picks during that span, going 20-8 (+809). Anybody following has seen HUGE returns!

The model knows first baseman Michael Busch helps power the Cubs offense. The rookie is hitting .266 in 69 games with 12 doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 26 RBI. He is on an eight-game hitting streak, and was 5-for-10 with two doubles and two runs scored in the series win over San Francisco this week.

The model also knows center fielder Harrison Bader is among the Mets' top hitters. In 65 games, he is batting .269 with 11 doubles, four homers, 27 RBI and 25 runs scored. He had a five-game hitting streak snapped on Tuesday. Over the last seven games, he has two multi-hit performances, including a 2-for-5 effort with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored in a 10-4 win over Miami on June 12. 

The model has simulated Mets vs. Cubs 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you the model is leaning Over on the run total, predicting a combined 9.1 runs, and it also says one side of the money line has ALL the value!

Who wins Mets vs. Cubs, and which side of the spread has ALL the value? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the spread you should be all over, all from the model on a 131-105 roll on top-rated MLB picks!