Hendricks will start Game 2
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks threw another bullpen session Friday, and he will start Sunday night in Game 2 of the National League championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field.
The starting rotation will follow that of the division series: Jon Lester in Game 1 followed by Hendricks at home, then Jake Arrieta and John Lackey in Los Angeles.
Hendricks made it through only 3⅔ innings in Game 2 of the NLDS because he was hit on the right forearm by a line drive off the bat of the Giants' Angel Pagan. From the get-go, Hendricks said he was OK.
"It's good to go," he said Friday. "Whatever game they want to come and let me know, I've told them I'm healthy and good to go as of 2-3 days ago, when I did my first throwing, about 120 feet, and it felt great.
"So I was able to go into my normal bullpen program after that. There was no discomfort at all."
His first NLCS:
Shortstop Addison Russell will be appearing in his first NLCS.
He missed last year's championship series against the Mets because of a hamstring injury he suffered in the division series against the Cardinals.
"I'm excited," he said before Friday's workout. "The body's feeling good. It's going to give me some new insight. It's going to give me a chance to get out there and feel the types of pressures we're going to have this series."
Russell was 1-for-15 in the division series.
"I don't think my game has gone off at all," he said. "I just missed a few balls. That's the reason you come back. You absolutely love this game, and you're just that close. I'm having fun. I know my teammates are having fun."
First baseman Anthony Rizzo also was 1-for-15 in the NLDS, but in Game 4, he singled and drew 2 walks.
Selling the game:
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was asked whether having teams such as the Cubs, Dodgers, Indians and Blue Jays in the two championship series is good for baseball.
At first, Maddon laughed at the notion that all four teams have had "multiple decades" without a championship.
"We have more than multiple decades, but ..." Maddon said. "My take-away, just watching the playoffs, the games that I've had a chance to watch and of course being absorbed in our own, this has all got to be good for baseball.
"For that group out there that finds baseball boring, at least tune in. And if you don't understand what's going on, have somebody sit next to you that does.
"That's the biggest rub that I have going on right now is that if you want to attract younger fans, teach them what's going on out there.
"These games have been fascinating, and there's a lot of good young stars out there, too, that I would like to believe that a lot of our youth in this country could identify with. And we want to get more of the youth playing baseball.
"So, I've been really enthralled by this entire thing."