ST. LOUIS -- Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon has elected to start second-year right-hander Kyle Hendricks in Game 2 of their best-of-five NL Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.
The moves passes over veteran Jason Hammel, who could still get the nod in a potential Game 4.
"I think he's been really sharp," Maddon said of Hendricks. "The fact that he could put the ball on the ground matters a lot, too, keep the ball out of the air. He's just been very sharp, so we just chose to do that."
Hendricks, 25, threw well down the stretch, earning him the opportunity in a huge road game. He dropped his ERA to less than 4.00 in his last start of the regular season, shutting down the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1-0 victory. In fact his past two outings resulted in 1-0 wins, as he kept the dangerous Kansas City Royals off the board as well. Hendricks was 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA for the season, including a 1.51 ground ball to fly ball ratio.
Meanwhile, Hammel struggled in September, putting up a 6.46 ERA before pitching well in his final start. And Hammel's ground ball to fly ball ratio was just 0.94. Maddon indicated Hammel could pitch out of the bullpen in any of the first three games.
"And then it's going to get back to the idea of, if we don't use Jason Hammel before that [in the bullpen], you probably will see him in Game 4," Maddon explained. "But if we need him sooner than that, you'll see him sooner than that, and then we'll have to make an adjustment for Game 4."
Jon Lester will start Game 1 for the Cubs on Friday, with Jake Arrieta pitching in Game 3 on Monday at Wrigley Field.