Jon Lester is still under contract for 2013, and the Red Sox have a $13 million club option on the left-hander for 2014. Beyond that, the picture is unclear.
Lester said that he hasn’t been approached by the Red Sox about a contract extension, according to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford.
This doesn’t mean that Lester won’t receive an extension, or that the Red Sox won’t approach him about an extension in the near future, but it does show that the lefty could be pitching for his next contract this season. How he performs in 2013 could significantly alter his financial future, as well as his future in Boston.
Lester established himself as one of baseball’s elite lefties for a four-year stretch from 2008 to 2011. He was a two-time All-Star and won at least 15 games each year, including 19 during a 2010 campaign in which he finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting. Like many of his teammates, Lester struggled in 2012, though, going just 9-14 with a 4.82 ERA in 33 starts.
In order for the Red Sox to turn things around this season, the pitching staff will need to be more consistent. That all starts at the top, which is exactly where Lester is supposed to sit.
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