Their bond is stronger than any article of clothing.
Dustin Pedroia isn’t bitter that Jon Lester chose the Chicago Cubs over the Boston Red Sox in free agency. In fact, the Red Sox second baseman is happy for his longtime teammate and one of his best friends.
“Jon is my family,” Pedroia wrote to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo in a text about the Lester news. “I always thought we would finish what we started here together and so did he. I’m so proud of him, the way he handled everything. The Cubs just got a franchise-changing pitcher. Our relationship is stronger than a uniform.”
Pedroia and Lester both broke into the majors with the Red Sox in 2006. They soon emerged as franchise cornerstones during their time together in Boston, guiding the club to World Series titles in 2007 and 2013.
Lester previously said he’d accept a hometown discount to stay in Boston. However, the Red Sox traded the left-hander to the Oakland Athletics at this year’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, and the Cubs’ six-year, $155 million contract offer in free agency was far better than Boston’s reported six-year, $135 million offer.
Thus, Lester has joined the Cubs, who are looking to snap a 106-year World Series drought. Another former teammate, David Ross, might soon join Lester in the Windy City. But for now, the veteran catcher is assessing the deal from a distance.
“Very happy for him, but a little sad,” Ross told Cafardo. “I know how much he loves those guys (in Boston). I know it was a tough decision.”
Lester contributed a lot to the Red Sox, but all good things must come to an end — except the friendships formed between teammates.
Thumbnail photo via Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports Images
