CHICAGO (AP) – Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda will start Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night.
Maeda has lost three straight starts, lasting just three innings in his first career playoff appearance Monday against Washington. But manager Dave Roberts had limited options after he used eight pitchers in the Dodgers’ series-clinching win against the Nationals on Thursday night, including ace Clayton Kershaw for the final two outs.
Jon Lester gets the ball for the Cubs, who eliminated the Giants with a 6-5 win in Game 4 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday night.
Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey round out the rotation for the Cubs in a repeat of the first round. Roberts wasn’t ready to announce the rest of the rotation for the Dodgers.
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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap