David Ross hopes Jon Lester’s adjustments don’t work SaturdayBrian Sandalowon September 25, 2021 at 1:16 am

On Saturday, Jon Lester will make his second start at Wrigley Field since leaving the Cubs. And despite his advanced age and diminished stuff, Lester is still getting outs for a Cardinals team streaking to the postseason.

Cubs manager David Ross – who has a well-documented history with Lester – said that’s because the 37-year-old lefty has been able to adjust.

“He’s turned himself into a different pitcher and found success in that way,” Ross said. “Being out there, being able to take the ball every fifth day, staying healthy, allows you to continue to work through competition and being able to adjust and find a way to win. He’s been a winner his whole life, so there’s no secret that he was going to find a way to have success.”

Lester enters Saturday’s start 4-1 with a 4.02 ERA since the Nationals traded him to St. Louis. His previous start was his 200th win, when he beat the Brewers 5-2.

Ross doesn’t want Lester to get 201 against his team.

“I love Jon Lester like a brother,” Ross said, “but I want to kick his tail every time he’s out there.”

Adam’s return
Reliever Jason Adam took quite a path to striking out the side in the seventh inning of Friday’s first game, an 8-5 Cubs loss to the Cardinals.

“Honestly, it’s kind of restored the joy of playing baseball in a lot of ways,” Adam said.

On May 21 with Triple-A Iowa, Adam suffered an open dislocation of his left ankle during batting practice and required surgery. Adam was subsequently designated for assignment and returned to Iowa after clearing waivers, though it was unclear when he would pitch again.

Adam did return to the mound this month, putting up a 1.80 ERA between the Cubs’ team in the Arizona Complex League and Triple-A Iowa. Then on Friday, Adam was selected from Iowa, optioned back but then recalled to serve as the 29th man for the doubleheader.

“Huge,” Ross said. “What this guy has gone through this year and what the doctors and trainers were saying about his season… they were almost limited to a 0% chance of him being back. Pretty impressive, look at where he’s come from this year.”

In other roster moves, catcher Robinson Chirinos was placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to Thursday) with a left oblique strain. Outfielder Greg Deichmann was recalled from Triple-A Iowa.

Steele melts late
Lefty Justin Steele continued his audition for a spot in next year’s rotation but allowed three homers and six earned runs over five innings in the Cubs’ Game 1 loss.

Since joining the rotation in August, Steele is 1-4 with a 5.89 ERA. On Friday, his day was blown up by a four-run fifth – including two of the homers – when Ross said he ran out of steam.

“This is an outing that’s easy to decipher the good from the bad,” Steele said.

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