Cubs playoff times for Games 1 and 2 released

He has started the first game of a playoff series nine times, including every postseason series for the Cubs during the last 2 years.

“I think those four days over the All-Star break gave everyone a breather”, Duensing said. Lester goes into the playoffs as one of the most experienced playoff starter (besides John Lackey) but isn’t taking this move as a dis. That news will likely come Friday morning when rosters must be finalized. “That is how we roll”.

“As a pitcher, I like to take pride in that: the effort I put out there in each start and the amount of pitches that I execute. It is just about lining up the rotation”. While normally the game one start would go to postseason master Jon Lester, #Joe Maddon and the Cubs are going a different route with #Kyle Hendricks.

Strasburg made 28 starts and went 15-4 with a 2.52 ERA this season, his most starts since 34 in 2014. Hendricks is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA and 30 strikeouts in his postseason career. The Nationals have a slight edge with their hitting due to the consistent threat all hitters in the lineup pose to opposing pitchers.

Quintana will pitch Game 3 on Monday at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs preferred to have him throw.

Arrieta suffered a strain of his right hamstring on September 4th. “It’s just his way of preparing us and getting us mentally ready”.

After some struggles early in the season, Hendricks found himself on the disabled list for almost 6 weeks with tendinitis in his right middle finger.

“His velocity before that wasn’t there”, Maddon said.

“Just tried to pragmatically lay out the season”, he said. And with Scherzer potentially out-or at least hobbled-Strasburg is the guy who will have to get them there. And when it comes to playoff baseball, momentum is everything. “I’m pitching in the NLDS”. Because the velocity is better now. He says he’ll pitch this series, but if it’s already bumped back there is clear reason to believe he might not be at his best.

“He leaves us alone”, the pitcher said. He is always growing. That was the primary driver in the trade. “Hopefully we can get this rolling”. “We didn’t play them that long ago in Chicago, I feel like”. And the opportunities that have come my way, whether it’s TV or being a part of a Hall of Fame front office in some capacity, being a part of Scott’s. With Fowler gone and Zobrist’s production down, the Cubs will need to see quality performances from both Baez and Almora. The 29-year-old scattered two hits in 7 2/3 innings versus Pittsburgh on Friday.

The Nationals other main injury concern, Bryce Harper, continued to do his work on the field Wednesday. What do you see as the biggest challenge they face?

Anthony Rendon and Michael A. Taylor are examples of what a team must do to build a successful farm system – find players in later rounds who develop into bona fide major leaguers. I think it brings more people to baseball, builds excitement in the kids who may not have been there before. Took over first place outright in April, never led by fewer than 10 games from mid-July on, and clinched their weak division by 20 games.