Despite starting 136 games at third base this season, rookie Kris Bryant will patrol left field for the Chicago Cubs in Wednesday's National League wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The presumed NL Rookie of the Year made just four starts in left during the regular season, but was bumped from his usual position to make room in the lineup for Tommy La Stella, whose contact skills could prove useful against Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole.
"Tommy (La Stella) is the most underrated hitter on our team," Maddon told reporters.
| Position | Player | Bats |
|---|---|---|
| CF | Dexter Fowler | S |
| RF | Kyle Schwarber | L |
| LF | Kris Bryant | R |
| 1B | Anthony Rizzo | L |
| 3B | Tommy La Stella | L |
| 2B | Starlin Castro | R |
| C | Miguel Montero | L |
| SS | Addison Russell | R |
| P | Jake Arrieta | R |
Bryant isn't the only youngster playing out of position Wednesday night. Kyle Schwarber, the 22-year-old rookie who managed an .842 OPS this season, will start in right field despite logging only 14 innings at the position this year.
The Pirates, meanwhile, will take the field at PNC Park with two of their most veteran hitters on the bench. Neither Pedro Alvarez or Aramis Ramirez will start against right-hander Jake Arrieta, a Cy Young candidate. Instead, manager Clint Hurdle opted to start Sean Rodriguez at first base in lieu of Alvarez, a career .118 hitter against Arrieta, with Josh Harrison getting the start at third over 18-year veteran Ramirez.
| Position | Player | Bats |
|---|---|---|
| RF | Gregory Polanco | L |
| 3B | Josh Harrison | R |
| CF | Andrew McCutchen | R |
| LF | Starling Marte | R |
| C | Francisco Cervelli | R |
| 2B | Neil Walker | S |
| SS | Jordy Mercer | R |
| 1B | Sean Rodriguez | R |
| P | Gerrit Cole | R |
Harrison hit .326 over his final 30 regular-season games and will slot in directly ahead of five-time All-Star Andrew McCutchen, the only player in Pittsburgh's starting lineup with a career OPS above .556 against Arrieta. Rodriguez's struggles against right-handed pitching are well documented, but Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said the 30-year-old was inserted into the lineup for his glove.
"We're putting our best pitcher on the mound; we're going to put our best defense behind him," Hurdle told reporters.
The winner of Wednesday's game will head to St. Louis and begin the best-of-five division series Friday, with veteran right-hander John Lackey slated to start Game 1 for the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.