Boston Red Sox rumors: Jon Lester willing to re-sign this off-season if traded
By Hayden Kane
With the Boston Red Sox falling out of the race and the Tampa Bay Rays slowly climbing back into it, there very well might be a different American League East ace on the move come the trade deadline.
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Instead of the Rays placing David Price on the trade block, there is a growing sense that Boston might actually consider trading ace Jon Lester. The lefty is having an outstanding year, posting a 10-7 record, 2.50 ERA, and a 9.3 K/9 mark. He stands to have a similar impact on the playoff race if a team did land him, though it would be in more of the traditional “rental” mold.
As he has since before the season started, Lester insists that he wants to remain in Boston well beyond 2014. Even with the two sides far apart in negotiations, with free agency pending and a possible trade in the works, Lester still wants to remain with the Red Sox.
On Friday Lester said that even includes if the team deals him but then is open to signing him this off-season (from ESPN Boston):
"“Yeah, why not? I mean, this is what I know, this is what I love. Like I’ve said many times, this is where I want to be. If they trade me, I completely understand.“Like I said, no hard feelings. I know what they have to do for their organization. If that involves me, so be it. If it doesn’t, I’ll keep running out there every five days, pitching, and like I said, hopefully November we’ll get something done.”"
It has been Boston’s stance that they are reluctant to offer the years or the money it would take to sign Lester if he was a free agent. It will be interesting to see if the two sides bridge the disconnect enough to get serious about a deal or if ultimately Lester ends up somewhere else, mid-season trade or not.