Chicago Cubs set sights on Dodgers starter Maeda in Game 1
The Chicago Cubs can wonder about Clayton Kershaw's availability for Game 2 of the National League championship series all they want - as soon as Game 1 is in the books.
In Saturday night's playoff opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field, right-hander Kenta Maeda gets the ball opposite Cubs lefty Jon Lester.
If the Cubs are even thinking about the possibility of facing Kershaw in Game 2, manager Joe Maddon is going to make sure the focus stays on Maeda, a 28-year-old rookie from Japan who was 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA during the regular season.
"Let's play Saturday's game," Maddon said. "That's all I'm concerned about. "That's how I operate. That's how I want our group to operate. The moment you start getting ahead of yourself a little bit, it can bite you quickly. So, that's it.
"Kershaw is outstanding, there's no question. He's one of the best in the last 50 years or whatever. But that's just one pitcher. We have to worry about tomorrow's pitcher."
Maeda, who did not face the Cubs during the regular season, started against the Washington Nationals in Game 3 of the NLDS. It did not go well.
The right-hander lasted just 3 innings and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks.
"It was my first time pitching in a postseason and it was an experience that I never experienced before," Maeda said through a translator. "This time around, since it is my second time around, I think I'll be able to imagine better what it's going to feel like.
"Last time around I couldn't really pitch the way I wanted to. With that in mind, I want to definitely pitch well and hopefully contribute to a win for the team."
Maeda is up against a Cubs team that still should be riding high from an impressive ninth-inning rally that eliminated the San Francisco Giants from the NL division series in four games.
"They're a very good lineup, from what I know," Maeda said. "They came up, they won the regular season with a pretty good record. They won the division series and they're on pretty good momentum. So what I'm going to try to do is to stop the momentum."
Not only is Maeda facing a lineup that is heating up at the right time, he has to try matching Lester, who pitched 8 shutout innings against the Giants in Game 1 of the NLDS after making 15 quality starts in as many tries at Wrigley during the regular season.
"The first one against the Giants, that was a spectacular game," Maddon said of Lester. "Right now, Jonny, having this experience definitely matters, especially as a starting pitcher. He's going to walk out there, he's going to be very comfortable in that moment, actually, inspired by that, I believe.
"He's good. And right now he's at the top of his game. I mean, from what I've seen, he's had a couple hiccups, which everybody does. But, man, he's been pretty much right on the last couple months, including the first game of the playoffs."
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