The Chicago Cubs are heading into the 2018 season with what can arguably be called baseball’s best starting rotation, one that is easily in MLB’s top five. Joe Maddon has already declared that this is probably the best starting five he will have worked with.
Jon Lester is getting the Opening Day start, but you could line Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks, and Jose Quintana one after the other and easily make the case that each could make that first start for just about every other club across baseball’s landscape.
Notably missing from that praise is a pitcher who isn’t getting the same type of buzz that his four teammates are.