After 16 seasons pitching in MLB, Jon Lester announced his retirement from the game this morning. Lester, who turned 38 on Saturday, told ESPN his body wasn't up for the rigors of another big league season.
A native of Tacoma, Washington, Lester was drafted by the Boston Red Sox out of high school in the second round of the 2004 MLB draft. The left-handed Lester would make his big league debut in the middle of the 2006 season. However, his career nearly ended when he was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma later that year.
Lester would return triumphantly in the middle of the 2007 season and, in his first post-season start, would clinch the Red Sox's second World Series title in four years. His first full season came in 2008 when he would win 16 games and throw a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals. Lester would be named to the AL All-Star Team in both 2010 and 2011, finishing fourth in AL Cy Young balloting in 2010.
After winning 15 or more games between 2008-2011 under Terry Francona, Lester would struggle in 2012 during Bobby Valentine's tenure going 9-14 with an ERA of 3.82. Lester would rebound in 2013 with a 15 win campaign en route to another World Series title for the Red Sox this time under the tutelage of John Farrell.
A third AL All-Star selection would come in 2014, but the Red Sox would trade Lester along with outfielder Jonny Gomes to the Oakland A's for Yoenis Cespedes at the trade deadline. The A's would make the AL Wild Card game against the Kansas City Royals which Lester would start. The Royals would get to Lester late in the game as they ran on him at will before eventually winning in extra innings and going on to win the AL pennant. For the second time in his career, Lester would finish fourth in AL Cy Young balloting.
Former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein, by this time President of the Chicago Cubs, would lure Lester to sign with the team for $155 million over six seasons plus a vesting option in 2021. After suffering his second season with a losing record in 2015, Lester enjoyed the finest year of his career in 2016 when he went 19-5 with a career best 2.44 ERA along with his first NL All-Star selection. Lester would finish runner up in NL Cy Young balloting to Max Scherzer. Although he did not win the Cy Young, Lester did win the NLCS MVP and earned his third World Series for a Cubs team which had not won a championship in 108 years.
In 2018, Lester led the NL in wins with 18 and earned his fifth and final All-Star team selection. After posting a career worst 5.16 ERA during the COVID shortened 2020 season, the Cubs declined to exercise their vesting option making Lester a free agent. He would sign a one year deal with the Washington Nationals worth $5 million. The Nats would deal Lester at the trade deadline sending him to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Lane Thomas. Lester would win four games for the Cardinals including his 200th career victory on September 20th against the Milwaukee Brewers. That final win came in the midst of the Redbirds' 17-game winning streak which earned them a NL Wild Card berth.
In 452 appearances (451 of them starts), Lester went 200-117 with a 3.66 ERA, a .631 career winning percentage, 2,488 strikeouts and 5 All-Star Team selections. In 26 post-season appearances, Lester went 9-7 with a 2.51 ERA with a NLCS MVP and three World Series rings.
I don't think it's enough to get him a plaque in Cooperstown but he could hang around on the BBWAA ballot for a few years, if not for an entire decade. That's still a pretty damn good career. Not bad for a guy whose career, if not his very life, could have ended before it started. With that. I leave you with Jon Lester's celebration of his no-hitter in 2008.
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