Cubs Mean Business, Sign Jon Lester
By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 10, 2014 5:00PM
Photo credit: Ed Zurga/Getty Images
The White Sox were the baseball team making headlines Tuesday with the additions of starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija and closer David Robertson. On Wednesday it’s the Cubs’ turn in the spotlight. Their hot offseason continues with the signing of free agent starting pitcher Jon Lester. Lester agreed to a six year, $155 million deal with a club option for a seventh year that could boost the total salary to $170 million. It trumps the eight-year contract worth nearly $136 million Alfonso Soriano signed in 2007 as the richest contract in club history and is the second-richest awarded to a starting pitcher behind the seven-year, $215 million deal the Los Angeles Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw agreed to this year.
Lester was the most highly sought after pitcher on the market this offseason and was entertaining offers from the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers in addition to the Cubs. Lester was traded in mid-season from Boston to Oakland but were looking to re-sign him. The Cubs, in a sign their future is now, wound up outbidding for Lester’s services by more than $20 million and offered him more years on the deal.
If Lester can perform anywhere close to his career numbers, the Cubs made a wise investment. He holds a 116-67 career record with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Before the trade to Oakland, Lester was 10-7 with a 2.62 ERA for the BoSox.
Lester wasn’t the only player the Cubs acquired Tuesday. They also obtained All-Star catcher Miguel Montero from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade Tuesday. They brought back pitcher Jason Hammel, who they traded in July. The new additions and the young core of talent give new manager Joe Maddon even more confidence the Cubs’ time is now.
"Yeah. It definitely sends that message about how [Cubs president Theo Epstein] and the group feels about this particular group, but understand we have a lot of young players that have to grow up, and we have to do a good job of nurturing that and making it happen," Maddon said. "It's possible, but having Jon there definitely adds to the flavor and the believability."