And frankly, the lefty couldn't explain the rationale behind the trend after Friday's 4-1 loss against the Braves. Despite logging quality starts in nine of his 15 starts this season, Lester only boasts a 4-5 record and 4.48 ERA.
"I'm getting tired of the same old [expletive]," Lester said. "I'm making good pitches, and they're getting hit. I don't know what else to do. The process is there, I'm still not getting results. It's the same book, different chapter for me."
Since Sept. 6, 2011, the victories have been lacking for Lester. During that stretch for the Red Sox, he's tallied a 4-8 record with seven no-decisions, well short of the 15-win plateau that he achieved last season or the 19-win mark from 2010.
All night long, the Braves challenged Lester's pitches, stringing together 10 hits and three runs over the course of the southpaw's seven innings. For the night, Lester racked up five strikeouts while issuing just one walk.
Despite surrendering a bevy of hits, the 28-year-old insists that he feels healthy and effective. As a result of that belief, he continues to be befuddled by his pitching results.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with my mechanics," Lester said. "I never said anything about my mechanics. I'm throwing the ball fine. I'm just not getting results. I don't think it's mental. I'm mentally prepared. I'm physically prepared every start. I go out and compete. That's all I can do. I can't worry about anything else."
But the streak of unfortunate luck has plagued him for the majority of the season. On this night, the two-time All-Star was outdueled by Braves starter Jair Jurrjens, who was recalled from Triple-A after posting a 9.37 ERA entering the game.
To the surprise of many, Jurrjens pitched like the ace, yielding just three hits and one run through 7 2/3 innings.
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