March 02--MESA, Ariz. -- Manager Joe Maddon made official what was anticipated since Dec. 9 -- that left-hander Jon Lester will be the Chicago Cubs' opening night starter against the St. Louis Cardinals.
"Jon will start opening night," Maddon said after Monday's rain-curtailed workout.
This marks the fifth consecutive opening day assignment for Lester, who signed a six-year, $155 million contract with the Cubs after pitching for the Boston Red Sox.
It won't be determined until later this spring whether Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will be ready for opening night because of an abdominal strain. But Maddon is more concerned with his team.
"I just really focus on us and what we're doing and how we do things," Maddon said. "What everyone else does, God bless them. It really doesn't matter to us. We have to make sure we nail it down and do the things we want to do and do them well.
"Regardless of who the competition is, it doesn't matter. I love great competition. I like playing good teams. I love playing groups that come after you like we're going to come after them. I think it's great for baseball."
Maddon said it's also safe to assume the first four spots in the Cubs' rotation are secure with Lester, Jake Arrieta, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks, but warned that "things can change."
"The competition around here is unbelievable on so many different levels," Maddon said. "But I'm not going to deny any of it (the rotation alignment) is accurate."
Left-hander Travis Wood will face the Oakland A's at Sloan Park in Thursday's split-squad opener, with Jacob Turner opposing the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale.
Lester will make his exhibition debut Friday against the Cincinnati Reds. Jason Hammel and Felix Doubront will pitch Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, with Jake Arrieta and Tsuyoshi Wada facing Texas on Sunday and Edwin Jackson and Hendricks against the San Diego Padres on Monday.
