Jon Lester trade rumors: Seattle Mariners team to watch
By Bryan Rose
The Seattle Mariners may not have the talent of the Oakland A’s or Anaheim Angels, but they’ve held tough in the American League West all season. Given that, might they have interest in trading for Boston Red Sox ace pitcher Jon Lester?
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Over the past few weeks the Seattle Mariners were rumored to have interest in David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays, however his price has went up in recent days and it’s an uncertainty if he’ll even be moved. That may have lead the Mariners to move on to Jon Lester as Jayson Stark of ESPN reports they are a team to watch in the coming days.
"The Red Sox sent a top scout to watch Seattle’s Triple-A team this week. So that tells us the Mariners are a team to watch in the next 48 hours."
Of course, the Mariners are in the midst of a rough funk right now which has seen them drop from 5.5 game out of the American League West to 11.5. Add in that the Seattle Mariners need a bat more than they need an arm and you have to wonder just how serious they’d be in an attempt to bring Lester to the Northwest, especially given he’s a rental.
Now, if they can get word that Jon Lester will sign an extension before making a trade, that changes everything and the Mariners would then boost two of the top starting pitchers in baseball. But it seems hard pressed to think that Jon Lester won’t test free agency considering his contract demands with the Boston Red Sox.