Lester to start Game 1 for Cubs

CHICAGO » Jon Lester will start the Chicago Cubs’ playoff opener.

Manager Joe Maddon announced Tuesday he was going with Lester over Kyle Hendricks and 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta in Game 1 of the NLDS against the New York Mets or San Francisco Giants. The series opens at Wrigley Field on Friday, with the Cubs’ sights set on winning their first World Series since 1908 after leading the majors with 103 wins.

Lester (19-5) was second in the majors to Hendricks with a 2.44 ERA.

Hendricks (16-8, 2.13) will start Game 2 at home on Saturday. Arrieta (18-8, 3.10) will pitch Game 3 on the road, with John Lackey (11-8, 3.35) starting Game 4 if necessary.

Lester was 10-2 with a 1.74 ERA at Wrigley Field. Hendricks also dominated at home, going 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA.

Arrieta was shaky down the stretch, going 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA in his last seven starts.

Rangers decide starter, don’t announce it

3.32 ERA) or right-hander Yu Darvish (7-5, 3.41).

“I don’t think there’s any competitive disadvantage, and I don’t really believe there’s any competitive advantage,” Banister said. “I just feel like that until we know who we’re going to play, we’ll keep that in house.”

Hamels, who pitched his regular-season finale last Wednesday, threw a bullpen session Monday. Darvish had a session Tuesday, four days after his last s

Mets sending Tebow to Fall League

NEW YORK » Tim Tebow will test his baseball skills against some of the game’s premier prospects.

The New York Mets are sending Tebow to the Arizona Fall League after cutting short their instructional league Tuesday with Hurricane Matthew approaching Florida, where Gov. Rick Scott already has declared a state of emergency.

Tebow, the former NFL quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, is scheduled to report Sunday and play for the Scottsdale Scorpions. Opening day is next Tuesday in the Arizona Fall League, a competitive proving ground designed to enhance the development of promising minor leaguers.

In a statement released by the Mets, Tebow called it “a great opportunity.”

Among his teammates will be New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird, who hit 11 homers in 46 major league games as a rookie last year. Bird sat sat out this season following shoulder surgery.