Jon Lester rumors: Chicago Cubs a major player this off-season in free agency?
By Hayden Kane
Jon Lester has only made one start for his new team, the Oakland Athletics. He still has an entire playoff race to look forward to, and possibly more as the A’s charge into September and October as potentially the best team in baseball.
More from Chicago Cubs
- MLB Rumors: Yankees mistake, Cardinals trade package, Cubs choice
- MLB Rumors: Cardinals budging on Arenado, Orioles-Ohtani package, Yankees backup plan
- Cubs: Cody Bellinger is putting up come-and-get-me numbers
- Cubs front office deserves an apology for Willson Contreras hysteria
- MLB standings ordered by hard hit rate: Struggling Cardinals still cracking bats
Even with all of that yet to happen, we are already expending a lot of energy putting Lester on his next team. It makes sense: just like the ace was a game-changer at this year’s deadline, he will be in free agency this off-season. He joins Max Scherzer and James Shields in a loaded class of free agents that will cause teams to get creative in order to make bold moves and sign them.
Nick Cafardo writes that the Chicago Cubs will be a team to watch in the Lester sweepstakes.
"Will the Cubs be all ears on him this offseason? That seems to be the buzz around baseball. Lester wasn’t drafted by Jason McLeod, who is now an assistant GM with the Cubs, but by current Detroit scouting director DavidChadd. But Theo Epstein nurtured Lester through his tough times, including cancer. Jed Hoyer was also there, as was McLeod."
Furthermore, you would have a guy in Lester who understands how to navigate the challenges of a big market such as Chicago after his numerous and sometimes controversial seasons in Boston (fried chicken and video games, anybody?).
There is clearly still a mutual love affair between Lester and the city of Boston, but unless Red Sox management opens up their pocket books, that reunion won’t happen. The Cubs might just be a candidate to swoop in and pay Lester at that point.