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Chicago Cubs: Joe Maddon Names Jon Lester Opening Day Starter

By Dan Schmelzer

Oct 1, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joe Maddon announced on Thursday that Jon Lester will start on Opening Day for the Chicago Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs have one of the best trios of starting pitchers in all of baseball. Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester would have all been deserving of being named the Opening Day starter for the team. However, Lester is the one who will get the call.

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Joe Maddon told the media on Thursday that Lester will get the ball for the Cubs in their season opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Arrieta will take the mound in Game 2.

"“I had the conversation this morning,” Maddon said Thursday, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. “I called Jon Lester and asked Jonny if he’d mind being the Opening Day starter. He’s earned it and deserved it. I also talked to Jake about being the No. 2 guy. Jake understood why we went with Jon first.”"

Naming Lester the Opening Day starter is not a surprising move. He was the rock-solid ace for the staff down the stretch last season and was a huge part of the Cubs’ World Series championship. However, Arrieta and Hendricks certainly have a case as well.

Hendricks finished third in National League Cy Young voting last season, while the leading the league with a 2.13 ERA. Hendricks was incredible for the Cubs last season and will look to build on that success in 2017.

Arrieta had an up-and-down 2016 season, but he still posted an impressive 3.10 ERA and led the league with 6.3 hits allowed per nine innings. He also came through when the Cubs needed him the most, pitching two of his best games of the season in wins against the Cleveland Indians in the World Series. Arrieta has elite-level stuff and took home the NL Cy Young Award in 2015. He certainly would have been a strong choice as well.

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Maddon really could not go wrong here. Lester, Arrieta and Hendricks are all deserving, but only one guy can start the game on Opening Day. Lester being the veteran who means so much to the organization was probably the best choice. Now, we just wait through all these Spring Training games until the real baseball starts.

Lester and the Chicago Cubs will kick off their season on Sunday, April 2nd at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

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