The Cubs and Giants square off in Game 2 of the NLDS tonight (7:08pm CDT) at Wrigley Field. It’s Kyle Hendricks versus Jeff Samardzija. And as expected, Willson Contreras is behind the plate for Hendricks.
Joe Maddon is sticking with the battery of Hendricks and Contreras and has one of his best defensive lineups in for Game 2.
Javier Baez is back in the lineup and playing second base. Maddon is going with an infield of Anthony Rizzo, Baez, Addison Russell and Kris Bryant.
With Baez and Bryant in the infield, Ben Zobrist starts in left field with Dexter Fowler in center and Jason Heyward in right.
Cubs batting order: Dexter Fowler CF, Kris Bryant 3B, Anthony Rizzo 1B, Ben Zobrist LF, Addison Russell SS, Jason Heyward RF, Javier Baez 2B, Willson Contreras C, Kyle Hendricks P
Maddon chose to stick with defense instead of taking a chance that a left-handed heavy lineup could produce more runs against Jeff Samardzija.
Left-handers have hit .272/.320/.461 against Samardzija this season with a .780 OPS (43 extra basehits, 26 doubles, five triples, 12 home runs). Right-handers have a .639 OPS with 26 extra basehits (11 doubles, three triples and 12 home runs) while batting .225/.276/.364.
Joe Maddon will begin the game with a bench of Miguel Montero, David Ross, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora Jr., Chris Coghlan and Tommy La Stella.