Lester gets the call in wild card vs. Rockies
The Chicago Cubs will have their ace ready to pitch in the National League wild-card game Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.
Lefty Jon Lester will get the call against the Colorado Rockies in the win-or-go-home game. And Lester will have one of his rotation mates backing him up in the bullpen if necessary.
The Cubs have had a busy bullpen lately, so Maddon will have lefty Cole Hamels ready if need be.
That's a pretty potent 1-2 punch for the Cubs if it comes to that. Lester went 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA during the regular season. Since coming to the Cubs in a July 27 trade with Texas, Hamels went 4-3 with a 2.36 ERA. He also tossed the Cubs' only complete game of the season.
"It's a moment to relish, just with the situation," Hamels said. "This is a do-or-die moment, but at the same time, we get a second chance. So I think that's kind of great for everybody and with what everybody's been able to do here. This is one of the best environments to play in front of. We're very fortunate we get to do it again tomorrow."
Lester did not speak after the Cubs lost 3-1 to the Brewers in Game 163 Monday. Hamels seemed ready to help in any way.
"I understood the situation going in to today," he said. "I definitely laid back on my bullpen (session) that I would have thrown today, not to overdo it, just in case there was an opportunity. I'll try not to get into the bullpen guys' way. I know they have certain routines, and I don't want to disrupt that. I have the utmost confidence. Jon knows what to do, and he's going to give us some great life and obviously some good innings."
Cubs manager Joe Maddon used relievers Jesse Chavez, Justin Wilson, Steve Cishek, Randy Rosario, Brandon Kintzler and Jaime Garcia on Monday.
The Cubs bullpen led the National League in ERA this season even without injured closer Brandon Morrow, who has not pitched since July. Morrow's replacement, Pedro Strop, injured his hamstring Sept. 13 and has not pitched since. He has been shooting for the postseason.
Chavez has been a revelation since his trade from Texas on July 19. With the Cubs, he went 2-1 with a 1.15 ERA and 4 saves in 32 games.
Evenly matched season:
The Cubs were 3-3 against the Colorado Rockies this season, 1-2 at Wrigley Field. Jon Lester got a no-decision against them on April 30 at Wrigley Field in a 3-2 Cubs win.
The teams must announce their 25-man rosters for the wild-card game by 10 a.m. CDT Tuesday.
The likely starting pitcher for the Rockies is lefty Kyle Freeland, who was 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA during the season. Wade Davis, who closed for the Cubs last year, had 43 saves for the Rockies this year. MVP candidates Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story had 38 and 37 homers, respectively. Each homered in Monday's loss to the Dodgers that sent the Rockies to the wild-card game.
Is it a rivalry now?
When the Cubs were in Milwaukee last month, Cole Hamels questioned whether the Cubs and Brewers were a "rivalry" because so many Cubs fans made the trip to Miller Park.
Hamels was asked about that Monday, after the Brewers beat the Cubs to win the NL Central.
"It's just a perspective," he said. "Ultimately, I think that's just kind of the case. I was there for three games. So I gave a perspective on three games, two home game here and one home game there. There's no hard feelings. I think it's exciting to be able to see the type of team that they have, the type of team we have here. It's great for both cities. Really, it's great for baseball."