Lester says health is not the problem
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With 11 games left and their closest rivals staring them in the face this weekend, stuff just got real for the Cubs.
An 8- 1 loss to the Rays on Wednesday night didn’t prove costly in the standings because the second- place Brewers lost later in Pittsburgh on a ninth- inning walkoff.
But Opening Day starter Jon Lester isn’t right — struggling for the fourth time in as many starts since returning from the disabled list.
And that’s by far the more costly deficit for the Cubs this final weekplus of the season, because the $ 155 million left- hander has suddenly become the biggest question in the rotation. Game 1 assignment or Game 2? Please. Lester has two starts before a potential first- round playoff series to show he’s well enough to compete against anyone in October.
His velocity was down and his command was off yet again as the Rays peppered him with eight hits and seven runs in just 4„ innings.
“Obviously, there is some concern,” said manager Joe Maddon, who didn’t dismiss the possibility of lingering physical issues, while emphasizing Lester has offered no indications he’s not 100 percent.
“I’m OK with lesser [ velocity] numbers,” Maddon said. “It’s about the command, because he is so good at throwing a strike when he wants to. But ball out of the hand right now is not really where he wants it to be all the time. I don’t have a great explanation.”
Lester has struggled the first three innings of all four starts since returning from the DL ( 10 runs in 12 innings). This was the first of the four in which he didn’t regroup to finish strong.
But he insists he is healthy and strong enough after spending two weeks on the DL for lat tightness and shoulder fatigue.
“We’re not going to make excuses and say that’s why I didn’t throw the ball well,” said Lester, who nonetheless had no explanation for the persistent command problems.
“Physically, it’s September. You’re going to have ups and downs. I feel fine. There’s no lingering effects from anything. There’s nothing physically wrong.”
He has two starts — Monday at St. Louis and Sept. 30 at home against the Reds — to “figure out a way,” as he says, to be prepared to give the Cubs a chance in the playoffs.
“I’m not worried about it,” he said. “I’ve had good seasons and I’ve had a couple bad ones. When you pitch a long time in this game you’re going to have ups and downs.
“We’ll make the adjustment and figure it out. The good thing is it’s not physical. It’s just a matter of getting back to what’s worked for me in the past and making those adjustments.”
Meanwhile, the Cubs face the fire of Miller Park and the Brewers, who swept the Cubs at Wrigley Field barely a week ago, for the next four games.
The Brewers had won nine of 11 until Wednesday and trail the Cubs by 3 ½ games.
“They’re not going to go away,” Maddon said. “At least we got the split here, which is good obviously. Moving it forward, man, you’ve got to beat them straight up some time, and that’s what we’re going to have to do.”
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