Mets playoffs: Lineups for NLCS Game 2 vs. Chicago Cubs

In their 4-2 win last night in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Cubs, the Mets benched Lucas Duda and Michael Conforto in favor of the righty-hitting Michael Cuddyer and Juan Lagares. Duda struggled in the NLDS against the Dodgers, and the Mets wanted to stack a righty-heavy lineup against Jon Lester. Cuddyer went 1-for-3 and Lagares, despite misplaying a ball in center field that led to a Cubs run, went 2-for-3 and scored two runs of his own.

Tonight, against Cy Young contender and right-handed pitcher Jake Arrieta, the Mets will stack the deck with lefties. As they did against Zack Greinke in the LDS, the Mets will shift Yoenis Cespedes to center and put Conforto in left. Duda will play his familiar first base.

The rest of the lineup remains unchanged. David Wright, who went 0-for-3 with a walk last night, will bat second as he has all postseason, and while he will probably stay there regardless of how badly he hits, he certainly hasn't looked like David Wright—apart from his big hit in Game 1 against the Dodgers—so far in the playoffs.