Oakland California. Oakland Athletics left handed pitcher Jon Lester, 30, who will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2014 Major League Baseball season.
Lester as a free agent can negotiate a contract to play for another Major League Baseball besides the Athletics. Lester made his debut in the Major Leagues in 2006 as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Lester was traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Oakland Athletics on July 31, 2014 along with outfielder Jonny Gomes in exchange for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
Lester would like to return to the Boston Red Sox in 2015 with a new contract. The Red Sox management is willing to pay Lester his market value as a starting pitcher. However the Red Sox do not want to give Lester a long term contract.
It is possible that other baseball teams besides the Red Sox and Athletics would be willing to hire Lester to join their baseball team since Lester as a member of the Red Sox has won two World Series rings with the 2007 and 2013 Red Sox teams.
Lester has made statements that he wants to pitch for a team that is in contention to make a run for the World Series and pay him his market value that he can command as free agent after the conclusion of the 2014 baseball season.
The Red Sox management are taking a chance that Lester will return to the Red Sox with a new contract in 2015. It remains to be seen which Major League Baseball team will have Lester on their pitching staff in 2015.
News source: CBS Sports