Get your pencils and scorecards ready.
The Cubs announced Joe Maddon's lineup for Game 2 of the NLDS, and it looks a little different from the starting nine Maddon trotted out for Game 1 on Friday night in Washington.
Here's how the Cubs look for Saturday's game against starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez and the Washington Nationals:
1. Albert Almora Jr., CF
2. Kris Bryant, 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Willson Contreras, C
5. Addison Russell, SS
6. Ben Zobrist, RF
7. Javy Baez, 2B
8. Ian Happ, LF
9. Jon Lester, P
Almora and Happ replace Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward in the outfield, with Almora the new leadoff hitter after Zobrist was 0-for-4 at the top of the order in Game 1. Zobrist, however, remains in right field. Almora's season-long numbers against left-handers are terrific: He's hitting .342 with a .411 on-base percenatge and a .486 slugging percentage. Many of Happ's offensive numbers have actually been worse against left-handed pitching than right-handed pitching this season, and he was 0-for-3 against Gonzalez when Gonzalez pitched against the Cubs earlier this season. Important to remember that none of the Cubs' starting outfielders got a hit in Game 1.
Meanwhile, the Nationals will send the exact same lineup against Lester that they sent against Kyle Hendricks in Game 1. With, of course, the new starting pitcher in Gonzalez.
1. Trea Turner, SS
2. Bryce Harper, RF
3. Anthony Rendon, 3B
4. Daniel Murphy, 2B
5. Ryan Zimmerman, 1B
6. Jayson Werth, LF
7. Matt Wieters, C
8. Michael Taylor, CF
9. Gio Gonzalez, P
MLB
One guy to watch is Wieters, who's had great success in his career against Lester, with most of that coming when the two were playing in the American League East. Wieters is slashing .314/.357/.412 with four extra-base hits and nine RBIs in 56 career plate appearances against Lester. Murphy homered off Lester in the 2015 NLDS, when Murphy tore the Cubs up as a New York Met.
Lester gave up four runs in 12.2 innings in two starts against the Nationals during the regular season.