MLB teams
Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Jon Lester to start Cubs' opener

MLB, Chicago Cubs

MESA, Ariz. -- New Chicago Cubs ace Jon Lester will throw the first pitch of the new baseball season April 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals, manager Joe Maddon announced Monday.

Maddon also said Lester will make his Cubs debut this spring Friday against the Cincinnati Reds in a home contest at Sloan Park.

The lefty signed a six-year, $155 million contract in December, becoming the immediate face of the pitching staff and one of the leaders of the team after winning two World Series championships with the Boston Red Sox in 2007 and 2013.

The Cubs play two games on Thursday when their Cactus League schedule begins. Travis Wood will pitch the home opener against the Oakland Athletics while Jacob Turner will throw in Scottsdale against the San Francisco Giants. Both pitchers are vying for the No. 5 starter's role, which Maddon said is up for grabs.

"I've seen a lot of good stuff out of the pitchers," Maddon said Monday. "Guys I didn't even know about."

Maddon said a veteran pitcher's recent body of work plays a bigger role than his spring statistics, meaning Wood could have the upper hand for the job. He is one season removed from making the All-Star team, though his ERA ballooned to 5.03 in 2014.

Edwin Jackson is also trying to regain his form after two subpar seasons and is still owed a total of $22 million for 2015 and 2016. Lefty Tsuyoshi Wada came on strong late last season, and the Cubs re-signed him to a $4 million deal, putting him in the mix as well.

Lester, Jake Arrieta, Jason Hammel and youngster Kyle Hendricks are the Cubs' top four starters.

"What's obvious is obvious," Maddon said of that group. "But things can change. Of course they can change. The competition around here is unbelievable on so many levels."

It was assumed that Lester would face Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals for a marquee matchup on opening night, but Wainwright may not pitch because of an abdominal strain, which has set his spring schedule back a few weeks.

Maddon isn't concerned whom they will face that night, only about getting there.

"We have a lot of folks for some really narrow choices, but competition really brings out the best in people," he said.

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