CHICAGO — After going most of last season slotting a pitcher in the No. 8 position in the order, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon has reverted to tradition.
In nine games through Thursday, Cubs lineups have featured the pitcher back in the familiar No. 9 spot.
“My primary thought with that is that there are more good hitters in this lineup this year,” said Maddon prior to Thursday’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. “If I chose to put the pitcher eighth somebody in the seven hole is going to suffer.
“For that reason I’ve kept him in the nine spot to try to stretch out the lineup that way.”
On Thursday, however, it was the bottom of the order that delivered the biggest punch. The seven, eight and nine spots were 6-for-10 with two RBI including a run-scoring double by starting pitcher Jason Hammel.
Last season, Maddon viewed the No. 9 spot as a potential second lineup leadoff batter.
Four different position players have batted eighth so far in 2016, with shortstop Addison Russell with the most games (five).
Maddon has mixed up his lineup and order a fair amount so far, with only right fielder Jason Heyward and first baseman Anthony Rizzo in the same spot in the order and on the field in all nine starts.
Heyward, batting .250 entering Thursday, has been second in the order. Rizzo, hitting cleanup, has a .207 average with two homers and 10 RBIs.
Dexter Fowler tops Cubs regulars with a .423 average through eight games, including a home run, three doubles and four RBIs.