Cubs Announce NLCS Rotation

It had been announced earlier that Jon Lester, who started and threw eight shutout innings in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Giants, will start Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers.

Friday, we learned the rest of the rotation for the Championship Series, and it will be (at least for the first four games) the same as for the Division Series:

Kyle Hendricks, as you know, was hit in the right forearm by a ball hit by Angel Pagan in the fourth inning of Game 2, and had to leave the game. He’s been throwing bullpen and side sessions since then, pronounced himself “ready to go” after such a session in San Francisco, and obviously things worked out fine for him to start Game 2 at Wrigley Field.

Thus, we’ll see the same four pitchers to begin the NLCS as the guys who threw in the division series, and Jake Arrieta will make a start in the place where he threw his first no-hitter a year ago.

The Dodgers have not yet announced their rotation, but it seems likely Kenta Maeda will start Game 1.

We don’t yet have the Cubs’ NLCS roster and probably won’t until tomorrow morning. The Cubs have had thoughts of carrying 12 pitchers for this series as opposed to the 11 they did in the division series. That probably puts Tommy La Stella on the bubble. We’ll find out more tomorrow.