This really isn’t even a road trip for the Cubs, who’ve been maintaining a rent-free apartment in Flushing since at least the 2021 trade deadline. After being burned by their decision to part with Pete Crow-Armstrong in what ended up being a disastrous second half that led them to a 77-85 finish, they were too scared to deal with Jed Hoyer last year. Then the Cubs swept them in mid-September of that season, hastening the Mets’ fall from the top spot in the NL East.
They ended up losing to the Padres in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, then they ended up losing Jacob deGrom to the Rangers in free agency.