Hendricks as a 5 starter? Seriously?

MESA, Ariz. — Cubs manager Joe Maddon unveiled his full rotation for the start of the season, and he might be making more history by the time the Cubs get through one turn.

After left-hander Jon Lester and right-hander Jake Arrieta start the first two games in St. Louis, Maddon has right-hander John Lackey in the third game in St. Louis, lefty Brett Anderson starting the series opener in Milwaukee after that and right-hander Kyle Hendricks starting the Cubs’ fifth game.

Yes, you read that right: The major-league ERA leader last year is opening as the Cubs’ fifth starter this year.

Part of that is about splitting up the two lefties, Maddon said. It might also be a sign of the extreme quality of what Arrieta suggested might be the best rotation in the game.

It at least looks historic.

A quick glance through major league pitching history suggests Hendricks might be the first league ERA leader to open the following season as his team’s fifth starter.

Oakland’s Steve Ontiveros led the American League in ERA in 1994 and started the Athletics’ fourth game in ‘95. The Giants’ Scott Garrelts let the NL in ‘89 and opened as the Giants’ fourth starter the next year. The Braves’ Buzz Capra led both leagues in 1974 and started the Braves’ fourth game the next year.

That far back, true five-man rotations were not common.

“Everybody’s always concerned about picking the order regarding what you perceive to be best to least-best,” said Maddon — who explained that he wanted Lackey, the ex-Cardinal, pitching in more of a comfort zone in St. Louis and after that wanted to break up his lefties.

“Listen, Kyle could be a lot of people’s No. 2s, or even a 1 in a certain situation right now, too,” Maddon added. “He’s definitely better than a No. 5 starter. It just happens that we’re going to slot him in the 5 hole coming out of camp. But it’s not a pecking order regarding ability by any means.”

The easygoing Hendricks expressed no problem with the decision.

“Obviously, Kyle could be a 1 or 2 just about anywhere — not that he’s not here,” Arrieta said. “It’s just that we’ve got several of those, which is a good problem to have.”

Problem as in the best five-deep rotation in baseball, even?

“On paper and what we’ve actually done on the field, it’s tough not to say that,” said Arrieta, whose 2016 rotation had the majors’ best ERA. “People can rank them. Once we get out there, the first four or five times through the rotation, I think you could probably put a stamp on it then, a little bit more than now. ”

The rotation decisions also mean that, as expected, Anderson officially gets the last available rotation job over the more versatile lefty Mike Montgomery.

• This report was produced in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times. For more coverage, check chicago.suntimes.com.