Maddon doubles down on closer decision

CHICAGO — He might have seemed more like Joe “Madman” than Maddon on Sunday, but upon further review the Cubs manager said he wouldn’t change a thing.

Maddon’s decision to leave closer Wade Davis in the bullpen in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers backfired as Justin Turner launched a three-run walk-off homer against John Lackey in the ninth at Chavez Revine. The reverberations were heard immediately.

“First of all, social media, the moment I start worrying about that I really need to retire,” Maddon said Monday. “Second of all, that was predetermined last night. Wade was not warming up to come in the game.

“[If ] we caught the lead he’s in the game. So whatever the narrative is, it’s a false narrative. He was not coming into that game until we grabbed the lead. He was not going to pitch more than three outs.”

Davis pitched 2 ¹/3 innings in relief in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Na- tionals, and Maddon wasn’t about to risk extending the right-hander again.

“Listen, this guy just did yeoman kind of work — I love that word — in Washington, and was not prepared to go more than three outs,” Maddon said. “I don’t understand why that’s diffi- cult to understand. And furthermore, you have to also understand it wasn’t the last game of the year or the second to the last game of the year. It was about winning eight more games.”