Manager Joe Maddon made it official Monday: Jon Lester will start Opening Night, April 5, for the Cubs against the Cardinals.
Maddon said it was obvious that Lester, who signed a six-year, $155 million contract in December, would start the Cubs season, but he wanted to talk with his ace first.
“I talked to Jon,” Maddon said Monday. “Jon will start Opening Night.”
In Lester’s last start, he was charged with six runs in 7.1 innings in Kansas City when the Royals hosted Oakland in the one game Wild Card.
In two World Series starts against the Cardinals in 2013, Lester was 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA, allowing just one run on a solo homer in 15.1 innings while walking one and striking out 15.