WRIGLEY FIELD SHOWDOWNRight-hander Kyle Hendricks (13-11) starts for the Chicago Cubs in the opener of their big season-ending series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Right-hander Adam Wainwright will be on the mound for the Cardinals. While the Cubs have clinched a postseason berth Evan Longoria Jersey , they are still in the chase for the NL Central title, holding a one-game lead over Milwaukee. St. Louis, shaken after getting swept in a three-game series at Milwaukee, is one game behind the Dodgers for the NL’s second wild card, with Los Angeles one game back of the Brewers. Hendricks is 4-1 with a 1.37 ERA in his last six starts.HEADING UP INTERSTATE 94Milwaukee also has clinched no worse than a wild-card berth and will be sending right-hander Zach Davies (2-7) to the mound against Detroit. The Brewers are 4-8 in his starts, and opposing batters have a robust .267 batting average against him, well above the major league average.MILE HIGHLeft-hander Kyle Freeland (16-7) is on the mile-high mound at Coors Field for streaking Colorado in the start of a season-ending series against the Washington Nationals. Colorado has won seven straight, matching its longest winning streak this season, and opened a one-game lead over the second-place Dodgers in the NL West.OLD RIVALSThe Dodgers close the regular season at the San Francisco Giants and start left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (6-3), who allowed four hits over six scoreless innings last weekend at San Diego. In his last outing against the Giants http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-dustin-mcgowan-jersey , Ryu gave up three hits in six scoreless innings.WHAT’S LEFT IN THE ALNot much is left to be decided in the AL, where East champion Boston hosts the wild-card winner, the New York Yankees or Oakland, in Division Series opener on Oct. 5 and West champion Houston is home against Central winner Cleveland as the Astros seek their second straight World Series title. New York needs one win or one Athletics loss during the season’s final weekend to ensure the wild-card game will be played at Yankee Stadium. Left-hander J.A. Happ (16-6, including 6-0 with the Yankees) is scheduled to start Friday night at Boston, which lines him up to pitch against Oakland on regular rest. A’s right-hander Mike Fiers (12-7) is slated to pitch Friday at the Los Angeles Angels. GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Tucker Barnhart read about the Reds‘ interest in Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto and hoped that they wouldn’t be able to swing a deal for the All-Star. Having endured the hardest part of a rebuild, he wanted to be in Cincinnati for a turnaround.Barnhart got his wish. Realmuto was dealt to Philadelphia — another team seemingly on the rise after major changes — and Barnhart got to stay with the Reds and handle a rotation that’s been overhauled.After four straight 90-loss seasons, the Reds are trying to become competitive in the NL Central.“I want to be a part of the finished product of the rebuild that was started when I came up in ’14. It’s continued since. I want to be a part of the winning,” Barnhart said. “Hopefully Carlos Gomez Jersey , that starts now.”Barnhart thought he would be an important part of the rebuild when the Reds gave him a $16 million, four-year contract that runs through 2021 and includes a club option for 2022. He was coming off a 2017 season in which he became only the third catcher in franchise history to win a Gold Glove.Last season, Barnhart batted .248 and set career highs with 114 hits and 10 homers. He drove in 46 runs.Barnhart was enthused when the Reds traded for starters Sonny Gray, Tanner Roark and Alex Wood during the offseason, fixing their biggest problem during four straight 90-loss seasons. Then, he heard the news that the Reds were interested in getting Realmuto in a deal with the Marlins, who lost 98 games last season.“When I heard those things in the offseason, I was hoping it wouldn’t come to fruition,” Barnhart said. “I want to be here.”On Feb. 7, the Marlins traded Realmuto to Philadelphia for catcher Jorge Alfaro http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-adeiny-hechavarria-jersey , two pitching prospects and $250,000 in international signing bonus pool allocation.As a result, the 28-year-old Barnhart remains among the longest-tenured Reds behind 35-year-old Joey Votto.“It’s crazy to think about for sure, that I’ve been around the longest except for Joey,” Barnhart said. “It shows the organization trusts the both of us to be a part of it.”Barnhart is spending the early part of camp getting to know the three newcomers in the rotation, who will vie for spots along with Anthony DeScalfani and Luis Castillo. First-year manager David Bell hasn’t decided how to slot the starters for the spring games.The Reds also overhauled their outfield in a trade with the Dodgers to acquire Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Most of the players acquired in the deals can become free agents after the 2019 season, so more change is ahead as the Reds try to climb out of their last-place rut.“It shows we’re in a position where the front office thinks we can win now,” Barnhart said. “In the clubhouse, that’s all you can ask for.”NOTES: Reserve catcher Curt Casalli had surgery on his left hip during the offseason and will miss the early spring games. Bell expects him to be ready by the start of the season on March 28 against the Pirates. … Infielder Alex Blandino had surgery to repair a torn ACL last July. He is fielding ground balls but it’s not clear whether he’ll be ready for the opener.… RHP Robert Stephenson is being evaluated for a sore right shoulder.