Jon Lester, Joe Maddon took Cubs’ expectations, credibility high enough to make fall painful

PITTSBURGH — About an hour after the Cubs were eliminated from the National League wild-card race Wednesday, somebody asked left-hander Jon Lester whether he wants to stick around if the front office has sweeping changes in mind for the team this winter.

‘‘I have no choice,’’ he said flatly. ‘‘I have a contract that I signed, and I’ll abide by that contract till I’m done.’’

The six-year, $155 million contract that signaled the beginning of the Cubs’ rise from tanking team to the greatest heights of the franchise has one year left (plus a club option).

And while nobody expects the roster to get blown up after a tailspin that reached nine consecutive losses with a 9-5 defeat Thursday to the Pirates, Lester is adamant about his intentions, whatever the magnitude of Cubs president Theo Epstein’s retooling plans.

‘‘I’m not walking away from anything; I’m not a quitter by any means,’’ Lester, 35, said. ‘‘So I’ll be here next year, if they want me.’’

For now, players and management still are trying to explain how a team that has a plus-98 run differential, went 51-30 at home and spent 82 days in first place is going to miss the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

And for the first time since Lester and manager Joe Maddon joined the organization within weeks of each other and changed the tone and expectations of everyone who walked in the door after them.

Whatever changes are coming on the roster, Maddon — who has toiled under a lame-duck contract all season — might take the first hit. He and Epstein were planning to talk in these last few days of the season, and Maddon said he expects to know by Monday whether he’ll be asked back.

Many expect him to manage next season either way, with the Phillies, Angels and Mets as possible landing spots.

‘‘If he continues here, gravy; if he doesn’t, he should be revered as a legend in this town for a long, long time,’’ said Lester, a former Red Sox pitcher who was no fan of Maddon’s as an American League East opponent watching zoo animals and magic shows across the field with the Rays.

‘‘What he did for this organization . . . you talk about rebuild, you talk about signings, all that stuff, he was the first guy to write his name on that paper. He believed. Him believing made other people believe. What he’s done not only for this organization but for this city is huge.’’

The 2016 World Series championship already was a long-faded memory for most by the time players and staff regrouped emotionally Thursday.

With nothing left to play for this season, the injured regulars — Javy Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo — are done trying to play through issues, though Rizzo might get a few innings if he wants to play.

Elder statesman Ben Zobrist and banged-up Jason Heyward also might play sparingly, if at all, during the final series in St. Louis.

Team innings leaders Kyle Hendricks and Yu Darvish are shut down and looking to recover for next season.

Darvish might supplant Lester as the Cubs’ Opening Day starter next season. What the rest of the team will look like is anyone’s guess. And that includes a starting rotation that cost close to $80 million in payroll this season, not counting reassigned swingman Tyler Chatwood ($12.5 million).

Lester didn’t sugarcoat a season he wasn’t proud of individually. His 4.46 ERA, bloated by a rough second half, was the worst of any of his 12 full seasons in the majors and the third-worst among qualifying National League starters.

He knows what’s coming next, even if he’s still around for the ‘‘next Cubs championship team’’ Epstein plans to build.

‘‘I’ve been written off before,’’ he said. ‘‘I think I’ve done all right for myself. I don’t care about that; I care about winning.’’