Boston’s Heist

By: Connor Lenahan

Yesterday night Jon Lester was supposed to start for the Boston Red Sox against the Toronto Blue Jays. The operative word here is “supposed.” Lester was scratched a few hours early by manager John Farrell. This was widely believed to be indicative that Lester was to be traded the following day.

This morning those rumors became reality. Lester, along with 2013 champion and fan favorite Jonny Gomes, was sent to Oakland, the current best team in all of baseball. Lester, who’s in the midst of the best season of his career, is another arm for an already stacked Athletics team that is making as serious a World Series push as any team in my life time. Lester was the best pitcher the Sox had this year, but given their also-ran status and the unlikelihood that they could make another playoff push this season became an expendable piece of the equation. Lester could command a high return. How high?

Yoenis Cespedes. For those who are unfamiliar with the Cuban superstar, allow me to better introduce you.

He blew up SportsCenter when he threw an off-balance, 300 foot strike to get Howie Kendrick out at home a few months ago.

Then he threw out Albert Pujols on a similarly incredible throw the next night.

He also has won the last two Home Run Derbies. He doesn’t just hit home runs, he massacres spheres. He did this to AL Cy Young winner Max Scherzer last fall in the playoffs.

Oh and Fenway Park will actually allow him to hit better than Oakland’s Coliseum did.

Plus Jon Lester’s contract runs out after the year. So he is then capable of signing anywhere he wants. He already started talking about how he wants to re-sign with Boston for 2015.

So for Jonny Gomes and 4 months of Jon Lester the Red Sox get an incredible bat/defensive presence in the outfield and Lester back next season.

Yeah, that was a heist if you ask me.

Connor Lenahan (@ConnorLenahan) is a sophomore at Boston University, majoring in journalism.