Jon Lester gets tabbed Cubs Opening Day Starter for fourth time in five years
Joe Maddon made official on Monday what many thought was a given. The Cubs’ skipper named lefty Jon Lester Named Cubs Opening Day Starter the team’s starter for Opening Day. Lester makes his fourth Opening Day start for the Cubs in five seasons and it will be the eighth time in his career he received the honor.
Lester is the leader of what has the potential to be a solid starting staff. Lester is coming off a good year. The veteran lefty was 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 32 starts last season. Lester topped 180 innings for the tenth straight season.
• Jon Lester’s Page on Baseball-Reference
Maddon has not announced how he will lineup the rest of his rotation at the beginning of the season. With the Cubs kicking off the season in Texas against the Rangers on March 28, Cole Hamels figures to start one of the three games against his former team.
Maddon should arrange his rotation so Jose Quintana and Kyle Hendricks face the Brewers in Milwaukee during the third series of the season. After three games in Texas, the Cubs make a trip to Atlanta for the Braves home opener on April 1. The Cubs play three games against the Braves (April 1, April 3-4) before a three-game series against the Brewers at Wrigley Field North.