ARLINGTON, Texas _ The Cubs needed Jose Quintana in relief Saturday night after starter Yu Darvish walked a career-high seven in only 22/3 innings against the Rangers.
But there might be a long-range benefit to Darvish's early exit even though the Cubs lost 8-6 on Joey Gallo's three-run home run off Carl Edwards Jr. in the eighth inning at Globe Life Park.
Quintana's appearance means Jon Lester likely will pitch Wednesday night against the Braves in Atlanta and is lined up to start the home opener April 8 against the Pirates.
Darvish could return Thursday night to face the Braves in the series finale, with Quintana lined up to pitch next weekend against the defending National League Central champion Brewers. Quintana is 6-2 with a 1.62 ERA in 11 career starts against the Brewers.
Darvish was pulled after 75 pitches. He set a tedious tone in the first by walking three after striking out two batters before completing a 35-pitch inning.
Darvish caught a temporary break in the second when Ronald Guzman was caught off second for the first out, but Roughed Odor made Darvish pay for his three walks in the inning by hitting a two-out single to score Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Asdrubal Cabrera smacked a two-run home run in the third, and Darvish was pulled after inducing Guzman to hit a groundout back to the mound. Steve Cishek came on to get the third out of the inning before Quintana took over in the fourth.
Fortunately for Darvish, he was staked to a 3-0 lead in the first on consecutive singles by Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber and Willson Contreras. Schwarber extended the Cubs' lead to 5-3 on a solo home run off Jeanmar Gomez, and Contreras followed with a double for his third hit of the game and scored on a Jason Heyward sacrifice fly.
Quintana struck out eight in four innings but allowed a two-out, two-run single in the seventh to Shin-Soo Choo, who struck out in each of his first four at-bats.
