Cubs realign rotation so Jon Lester will start Wrigley opener against Dodgers

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ST. LOUIS – The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers showed up at Wrigley Field, the Cubs clinched their first National League pennant in 71 years, sprayed beer and champagne all over the place and partied through the night. 

The Dodgers will be The Other Team again when the Cubs raise their World Series championship banner – and now have to face the NLCS co-MVP in that prime-time matchup. 

The Cubs rearranged their rotation so that Jake Arrieta will face the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon at Miller Park while Jon Lester will start Monday night's season opener in Wrigleyville. 

[CUBS TICKETS: Get your seats right here]

That alignment gives the Cubs two lefties – Lester and Brett Anderson – for a three-game series against Adrian Gonzalez, Corey Seager and a Dodger lineup that finished last in the majors last year with a .622 OPS against left-handed pitching (or 45 points lower than the next-to-last team).  

"It was just right in front of us," manager Joe Maddon said. "This was so obvious, we just couldn’t walk away from it."

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