The Chicago Cubs offered free-agent starter Jon Lester a long-term contract worth in excess of $135 million, according to CSN Chicago's David Kaplan (via Tony Andracki).
Cubs reportedly offer Jon Lester ‘north of $135 million’
Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and company appear to have set the market for the top-ranked free agent.
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Lester has also drawn interest from the Red Sox, Giants, Braves and Cardinals, but none of those clubs has made a formal offer to the veteran left-hander. Boston and San Francisco are the two teams most likely to compete with Chicago's offer, per Kaplan. The Cubs, meanwhile, have money to spend and don't really need to do their homework to know what they'd be getting. Lester made his ascent through the minors while Theo Epstein, now the Cubs' president, was the general manager of the Red Sox.
After posting a 2.46 ERA in 219⅔ innings for the Red Sox and Athletics in 2014, Lester entered the offseason as the top-ranked free agent, according to SB Nation's Grant Brisbee. The 30-year-old Washington native owns a 3.58 ERA with 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings in nine major league seasons.
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