Dodgers choose Maeda, not Kershaw, to start vs. Chicago Cubs in Game 5

The Chicago Cubs knew they were going to see Clayton Kershaw twice in the National League championship series.

But after the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace completely shut them down in Game 2 on Sunday night at Wrigley Field, the Cubs weren't sure when Kershaw would return to the mound.

This is the time of the year when baseball's best starters and relievers continually are on the go with short rest, and Kershaw could have come back with only three days' rest and pitched against the Cubs in Game 5.

But, barring an unexpected change, Kershaw is being held back for Game 6.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kenta Maeda is going to get the ball in Game 5, and he will face Cubs lefty Jon Lester.

"I expect him to go out there and get ahead of hitters and just compete," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts told reporters Wednesday. "I have all the confidence in the world in Kenta that he's going to give us a chance to win a baseball game tomorrow."

Maeda, a rookie right-hander from Japan, started Game 1 of the NLCS against Lester and lasted just 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks.

"I'm going to be very aware of the hitters who are hot and who are hitting well," Maeda said through a translator. "I think this time around I can better imagine how I'm going to get these guys out. I remember how each hitter reacted to a certain pitch, so I'm going to base off that when I pitch again tomorrow.

"It's going to be an important game for the team, but it's going to be an important game for myself, too. I haven't been doing well. I have the desire to really want to do well."

Lester opposed Maeda in Game 1 and allowed 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innings. The Dodgers made some hard contact against Lester, but it still was surprising when Maddon lifted him with a pitch count at 77.

"I knew it was a grind, even though the pitch count wasn't as high as it could have been with how I was throwing the ball," Lester said. "But like I said then, I don't get paid to make decisions. I pitch as long as he tells me to pitch.

"And as competitors in that particular moment, you're not happy with the decision. That doesn't mean that I'm going to go in there and yell at him or I don't trust him or I don't like him or anything like that.

"There's frustration at the time, but once the game's over, once I got into the clubhouse and kind of calmed down a little bit, you understand the move. So there's no ill feelings toward Joe at all."

• Follow Scot's baseball reports on Twitter @sgregor.