Lester, Cubs start fresh vs. Rangers, Minor

The Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers fell short of expectations in different ways last season. They'll try to open 2019 on a positive note when they meet on Thursday in Arlington, Tex.

Two years after winning the first World Series in 108 years, the Cubs lost the NL wild-card game against the Colorado Rockies last October. They had won 95 regular-season games, but finished second in the Central Division after losing a one-game tiebreaker to the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Rangers lost 95 games last season and finished last in the AL West, 36 games behind the Houston Astros.

Texas lost third baseman Adrian Beltre to retirement after he put up fairly good numbers last season, finishing with a .273 batting average, 15 home runs and 65 RBIs in 119 games. The Rangers also traded versatile infielder Jurickson Profar to the Oakland A's, making the hole even larger on the left side.

Asdrubal Cabrera is expected to make his Rangers debut at third base. He signed a one-year contract with Texas after splitting last season with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, hitting a combined .262 with 23 home runs and 75 RBIs.

The Rangers are scheduled to send left-hander Mike Minor to the mound against Chicago.

Minor returned to a starting role last season after spending 2017 as a reliever for the Kansas City Royals. He went 12-8 with a 4.18 ERA in his first season with the Rangers.

Minor told reporters he was thrilled to be named the Opening Day starter. He had major shoulder surgery in 2014 and missed the next two seasons.

"It's a cool thing, especially when I talk to my family and friends, talk about where I was a couple years ago," he said. "From not pitching two years in a row and coming back, and having to go in the bullpen, and last year trying to re-establish myself as a starter, and having a lot of people believe that I couldn't do it. ... A lot of doubters."

Rangers managed Chris Woodward told reporters Minor took on more of a leadership role during spring training and then went out and pitched well, making his decision on the Opening Day starter an easy one.

"To be given the opportunity to be the ace, he's not taking that lightly," Woodward said. "He's taken on that responsibility of being the No. 1 guy."

The Cubs will counter with 35-year-old veteran left-hander Jon Lester, who has struggled during spring training, most recently allowing six runs, nine hits, a walk and a hit batter in four innings against the Rockies.

"Thank goodness it doesn't mean nothing," he said. "You move on and get ready for Thursday."

Lester went 18-6 last season with a 3.32 ERA and made his fifth All-Star team. His dependability has been just as impressive, as he's started at least 31 games in each of the past 11 seasons.

The Cubs will be without shortstop Addison Russell, who is serving a domestic violence suspension and won't be eligible to return until May 3.

Javy Baez will slide over from second base to shortstop, and Ben Zobrist will move to second, where he played 58 games last season in between stints in the outfield.

The Cubs will also be down a key reliever.

Brandon Morrow, who is expected to handle closing duties, will miss at least the first month of the season after undergoing elbow surgery in the offseason. He was shut down in mid-July because of right-biceps inflammation.

Pedro Strop is expected to handle closing duties while Morrow is out.

--Field Level Media