Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox want to strike a deal. Major League Baseball’s All-Star break marks a perfect time to get it done.
Lester, who is set to become a free agent after this season, has stated several times that he’d like to remain in Boston beyond 2014. The Red Sox have expressed the same sentiment, acknowledging the ace is an important part of both their present and future.
The difficulty obviously lies in the contract negotiations. Both sides have expressed a willingness to wheel and deal, but extensions aren’t always easy to hash out, especially when you’re talking about a sizable contract, which Lester figures to land.
While it might just be a matter of time before the Red Sox lock up Lester to a long-term deal, there certainly appears to be a gap, or else we wouldn’t be having this conversation. The important thing, of course, is that the gap gets closed at some point, but now represents a good time for the sides to get together and really focus on hammering out a deal.
It’s a perfect time for several reasons.
