“FENWAY'S BEST PLAYERS”

2006-2014 #8   JON LESTER Jon Lester was from Tacoma, Washington. He was a big, powerful left-handed athlete, with a strong arm that served him well in football and baseball. His height was an advantage in basketball. He was one of those kids who, all through youth-league sports, was the best player on the field or court, but baseball was his first love. He enrolled at Bellarmine Prep, a Catholic school in Tacoma, in the fall of 1998. Jon was amazing from his first season for the Lions. He should great poise and competitiveness for a 15-year-old and was named league MVP as a freshman. He would win this award three times in four years and earn All-State honors in three seasons, too. By his senior year, he stood 6-5 and could pop his fastball in the mid 90s. As many as dozen pro scouts attended his starts regularly, and plenty of college recruiters called in between. The Red Sox selected him in the 2002 draft and after a protracted contract negotiation, Jon ended up with a lucrative signing bonus. He appeared in just one minor-league game and later participated in Fall Instructional League action. Jon joined the starting staff of the Augusta Greenjackets and spent 2004 in Sarasota. Pitching all year for the Class-AA Portland Sea Dogs in 2005, he earned honors as Eastern League "Pitcher of the Year", dominating from start to finish. But after a shaky spring ERA in 2006, he was assigned to the PawSox. Jon made 11 starts at Pawtucket and was practically unhittable in his final six appearances. Meanwhile, in Boston, starters David Wells, Matt Clement and Tim Wakefield were all battling injuries, so Jon essentially forced the Red Sox to call him up after his lights-out performance with the PawSox. Jon pitched fairly well in his debut and got a no-decision. He later blew away the Washington Nationals and became the first Sox hurler of the year to fan 10 hitters in a game. On July 18th, Jon handcuffed the Kansas City Royals for eight innings, allowing only a second-inning single in a thrilling 1–0 win. The victory was his fifth in a row without a loss since joining the big club. It marked the first time in team history that a lefty had won his first five decisions as a rookie. Jon did not lose until his 10th start of the year, in late July against the Angels. Less than a week later, Jon was in the hospital, and baseball fans were in shock. He had been diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a treatable form of the disease. The cancer was discovered during an exam for a sore back caused by a minor fender-bender. He underwent treatment and was declared cancer-free in December. Jon rejoined the team in the spring of 2007 and embarked on a plan to get himself back into pitching shape. He logged time with two farm teams as he built up his velocity and regained command of his pitches. On July 23rd, after 17 starts in the minors, Jon was back on the mound for the Red Sox. On August 14th, he made his first start since his return in Fenway Park and was treated to a standing ovation. Trailing 1–0 in the eighth, the Red Sox pulled out a victory over Tampa Bay with a homer by fellow cancer survivor Mike Lowell and hits by Jason Varitek and Coco Crisp. Against the Indians in the Championship Series, he got rocked in his first appearance, but in Game #4, he redeemed himself with three scoreless innings of relief work. The Red Sox won the series and the pennant. Tito Francona handed Jon the ball in Game #4 of the World Series against the Rockies. He mowed down the Rockies until he was relieved with two out in the sixth. He allowed three hits and was credited with the clinching victory, capping off a storybook season in one of the more memorable comebacks. The Red Sox started the 2008 campaign as the favorites in the AL East. On May 19th, Jon made headlines once again when he no-hit the Royals. He walked two, struck out seven, and was aided by a diving catch in center from Jacoby Ellsbury. Otherwise, he went through the Kansas City order with ease. He was named the AL Pitcher of the Month in July and September and was also a key figure in the Red Sox' victory over the Angels in the American League Divisional Series, pitching 14 innings without allowing an earned run. In 2009, Jon agreed to a five-year contract extension with a team option in 2014. On June 6th, he made his bid for a second no-hitter against the Texas Rangers at Fenway. He pitched 6 1/3 perfect innings, striking out 10 batters. On August 14th, he struck out ten batters for the sixth time in the season, the most times ever by a Red Sox lefty. In 2010 Jon won his final start in April, then won five of the six games he started in May. He went 5–0 with a 1.84 ERA and 45 strikeouts and was named the American League Pitcher of the Month, winning the award for the third time. He was selected to the American League All-Star team and at the time of the break he was 11–3 with a 2.78 ERA and 124 strikeouts. On July 25th he took a perfect game into the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners but lost it in that inning due to an error. He finished the season strong but fell just short of 20 wins. In 2011, Jon had a solid season, but he struggled along with the rest of the team, losing his last three decisions. In May 2013, Jon threw a complete game one-hitter, with no walks, against the Toronto Blue Jays, facing only 28 batters. The Sox advanced to the post season and Jon was named as the starting pitcher for the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays in the Red Sox first return to the postseason since 2009. In Game #1 of the ALDS Jon pitched 7 2/3 innings with three walks, striking out seven and the Red Sox winning 12-2 (and winning the series 3-1). He also tied the Red Sox postseason record of 4K's of the first four batters to begin the game. After the Red Sox won the ALCS, Jon was selected to start Game #1 of the 2013 World Series. He pitched an 8 to 1 victory over St. Louis and then went on to a Game #5 win. The Sox won the sixth game, giving them their third World Series title in ten years. Before the 2014 season, Jon announced he'd stay in Boston and take a contract extension with a hometown discount. But the Red Sox wanted him back at an even more generic price. The four-year, offer in spring training set the bar low and the Red Sox never got another chance to negotiate. In May of 2014, Jon pitched eight one-hit innings against the Oakland Athletics, where he had a career-high 15 strikeouts, the most by a Red Sox pitcher since Josh Beckett did it in 2010. Jon pitched one of his dominating games on June 1st, by striking out 12 and shutting out the Rays. After he fired eight scoreless innings in a 6-0 win to complete a three-game sweep of the Royals on July 20th, Jon was elected to his third All-Star Game after posting a 2.73 ERA over his first 18 starts of the season. On July 31st, with no contact extension agreed upon, along with Jonny Gomes, Jon was traded to the Oakland Athletics for Yoenis Céspedes.