Cubs' Jake Arrieta, Joe Maddon differ on midgame catcher switch

Cubs differ over midgame catcher swap during Wednesday's game against the Pirates.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta said he was not aware that manager Joe Maddon was going to take out catcher Miguel Montero during the middle of a game.

Maddon pulled Montero for rookie Willson Contreras after the fourth inning of Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Maddon said that the move was already predetermined to get Contreras some work with Arrieta just in case the two have to work together during the playoffs.

"They all knew what was going to happen before that game," Maddon said. "There were no surprises. And there's been no surprises."

Arrieta disagreed with that assessment.

"Going into the game, I was really unaware we were going to go with a catching change," Arrieta said.

Arrieta was tagged for a season-high 10 hits, giving up seven earned runs in five innings in an 8–4 loss to Pittsburgh.

"It's a difficult balance," Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said. "We mostly get it right, maybe yesterday [Wednesday] we didn't."

The Cubs open the postseason next Friday against the NL Wild Card winner. 

- Scooby Axson