The Cubs won the NL Central last night with a good performance by John Lackey.
Which puts into question how the Cubs will arrange their post season roster.
Almost everyone believed a week ago that Lackey would be this year's Hammel, the odd man out of the post season roster.
But with Arrieta admitting that he could "not push off properly" during his last start, no one can guarantee that Jake will be good Jake in the playoffs. If he continues to struggle, then that puts Montgomery into long relief role which cuts down on his usefulness and situational strengths like how Francona used Miller in the Indians World Series run.
But the other issue is whether Lester can return to being playoff good Lester. He still seems to be struggling and getting hit hard early in games. He is another candidate for a quick pull in the playoffs. That means that the Cubs need another long reliever on the 25 man roster. Hence, Lackey, who never has pitched out of the pen, may make the roster as an emergency starter-long reliever.
Playoff games are tighter by definition. Pitching becomes a premium along with good defense. The Cubs pitching in the second half has been good and bad.
The Nationals have some pop from the left side so Maddon will want to have enough quality lefties on the pitching staff. But can he trust Wilson out of the pen to neutralize Harper in a key situation?
The Cubs have a week to evaluate the bullpen to make final choices.
The current buzz in social media is that the presumed rotation should be flipped: start Hendricks game 1, then Quintana, then Lester, then Arrieta. It may not matter the final order if the bullpen is called to pick up games in the 6th inning (or earlier).
Maddon has tried lately to get the bullpen in rhythm. He has used Strop-Rondon-Davis to pitch an inning a piece to close out games.
Maddon has also used all three catchers (a banged up Contreras, Avila and Rivera) down the stretch. He may be thinking about keeping all three (in case Contreras injuries flare up). That would mean one less field bench player, most like LaStella, who may lose a spot anyway if Maddon wants to have an extra relief pitcher.
Barring another injury or something strange, the preliminary playoff roster:
OF (5) Heyward, Jay, Happ, Schwarber, Almora
IN (5) Bryant, Russell, Baez, Rizzo, Zobrist
C (2) Contreras, Avila
SP (4) Hendricks, Quintana, Lester, Arrieta
RP (9) Montgomery, Duensing, Wilson, Edwards, Strop, Rondon, Davis, Lackey, Grimm
