Madden hints at lineup changes against Scherzer

CHICAGO — Cubs manager Joe Maddon added some off-day intrigue to the National League Division Series by hinting he might play musical chairs with his lineup against Washington right hander Max Scherzer for their pivotal Game 3.

“I’m leaning toward that right now,” Maddon said Sunday. “I mean, he’s just so oppressively difficult versus right-handed hitters, I thought it might be wise to get onemore lefty out there.”

Maddon didn’t specify which left-handed bat he had in mind, or even where he might slot it. But he had talked about making the move before Stephen Strasburg was named Washington’s Game 1 starter over Scherzer, who got a couple extra days of rest after tweaking his right hamstring in his final regular-season start against the Pirates.

Game 3 of the deadlocked series already promised plenty of intrigue after a tworun homer by Bryce Harper in the eighth inning Saturday breathed new life into a Washington lineup that had produced just four hits in the previous 15 innings. Ryan Zimmerman added a tiebreaking three-run homer that same inning. If Monday’s battle for momentum in the best-of-five series wasn’t tantalizing enough, there also were lingering questions about Scherzer’s readiness and how Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana — who came over from the cross-town White Sox in mid-July — would handle his first appearance in the playoff spotlight.

“I feel I’ve done everything I can to put the strength in the leg,” Scherzer said. “There’s really no secret to this. If I can execute pitches and keep the ball off the middle of the plate, I know I can have success. But if I make mistakes, I know theycan take me deep.”

While Scherzer was focused on getting the physical component of his game dialed in, Maddon was contemplating changes to his lineup for the matchup with the twotime Cy Young Award winner.

He wouldn’t say where he would use the left-handed bat, though he noted the leadoff spot “had been a revolving door all year.” Maddon also didn’t say which of his regular position players he might sit, though second baseman Javier Baez is 0 for 6 with three strikeouts against Scherzerin his career.

Could the left-handed surprise be reserve infielder Tommy La Stella, who is 3 for 6 (homer, triple, double) against Scherzer, or rookie Ian Happ, a switch hitter who also can play second? How about veteran John Jay, who has played all over the outfield?

Or maybe none of the above?

“I’d guess [Kyle] Schwarber,” Washington manager Dusty Baker volunteered. “They always try to squeeze left-handed bats in on Max. Always. So whoever the lefthanded bat is, we just have to figure out whatever his Kryptonite is and how to get him out.”