Since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, it’s been no secret that Kyle Hendricks was built for the big moments.
The cool, calm and collected right-hander was part of the Cubs 1-2 punch with Yu Darvish at the top of the rotation and the team will now look to them to move to the next round.
Manager David Ross officially named Hendricks his Game 1 starter and Darvish the starter for Game 2 on Monday. Hendricks pitched like he was in playoff mode in September, going 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA in five starts and he’s ready for the challenge that October brings.
“It’s a huge honor for me to get the nod from Rossy for Game 1,” Hendricks said. “But at the end of the day, we all know what Yu’s done this year. He’s our ace. He’s the guy. He’s been dominant all year long.”
“I really feel like I got two aces,” Ross said. “I trust both those guys. I think Kyle’s resume, when we talked about giving him the ball to start the season, what he’s been through in his career and the stages he’s been on and the way he’s performed. I think it’s really easy. It’s very comforting from my seat when he takes the ball at any stage and at any point during the season.”
Hendricks, who will be pitching on seven days rest, says he threw an extra bullpen this week to get himself prepared for Game 1’s start and has gotten himself locked in for what he hopes is a long playoff run.
“It’s just the same routine that I’ve been doing, same preparation,” Hendricks said. “I’ve been working on it for years. I was lucky to have a lot of good coaches coming up through the minor leagues that really stressed the importance of routine. And so, I was able to find things that worked for me and so now ... you listen to your body, see if you need anything different, but for the most part, it is the same routine every five days.”
Cubs hoping latest effort is a boost in NL wild-card round
The Cubs’ bats broke out in a big way in their final regular-season series against the White Sox, scoring 25 runs in the three-game set. The offensive spike comes just in time as the Cubs prepare to play their most important baseball of 2020.
“I think that was definitely a good step to go out and score those runs, especially against some velocity pitchers,” left fielder Kyle Schwarber said. “I think the biggest thing is obviously the playoff juices kick in and everyone knows what’s at stake now and it’s time to be together and scratch, fight, claw any way that we can get a run in.
Ross going with Lester in winner-take-all game
Ross wasn’t shy about how he felt Jon Lester’s playoff experience would play a role in his decision to start him in the postseason. Ross confirmed on Tuesday that the veteran left-hander will get the ball in Game 3, if necessary.
