OCTOBER 1, 2020 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
Jon Lester is hoping for one more start at Wrigley Field if the Cubs can force a Game 3 against the Marlins: ‘It’s a special place in my heart’ Cubs left-hander Jon Lester is anxious to get an opportunity to get one more start at Wrigley Field.
Rocked for seven runs Lester (3-3) allowed seven runs on six hits and three walks while striking out three over 3.2 innings in a loss to the White Sox on Saturday.
Impact The Cubs got out to a 5-2 lead after three innings, but Lester gave all of that back and then some in the fourth. Lester's ERA jumped from 4.40 to 5.16 as a result of this blowup, and it's possible manager David Ross will reconsider his rotation plans for the postseason. Ross had previously indicated Lester was the likely choice for Game 3 of the first round (if necessary).
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Moncada homers as White Sox win 9-5; Cubs clinch NL Central
Yoan Moncada homered, José Abreu hit a three-run double and the playoff-bound Chicago White Sox beat the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs 9-5 at Guaranteed Rate Field to snap a sea...SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
LeMahieu, Voit near milestones for Yankees in win over Miami
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cubs take on the White Sox following Darvish's strong showing
Chicago looks to follow up a dominant outing by Friday starter Yu DarvishSEPTEMBER 26, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Darvish, five homers lead Cubs past fading White Sox 10-0
Yu Darvish pitched seven strong innings for his NL-leading eighth win, Willson Contreras homered twice and the Chicago Cubs moved to the brink of clinching the NL Central title by...SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
4 takeaways from the Cubs-Pirates series, including the offense reaching a new low and optimism surrounding Jon Lester The Cubs might be running out of ways to snap out of their miserable seasonlong hitting slump, and Jon Lester's ground-ball rate lends optim...
SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
Likely option for Game 3 Lester seems likely to pitch in Game 3 if one is necessary in the Cubs' upcoming first round playoff series, though manager David Ross hasn't confirmed his rotation plans, Mark Gon...
Impact Lester is scheduled to make his final regular season start Saturday, which would put him on six days rest by the time a Game 3 would be held on Oct. 2. The veteran has had an up and down year, though he's pitched better lately, and he certainly has proven his worth in big games before. "Definitely Jon's experience goes a long way for me, and putting somebody out there that can handle the moment is very powerful," Ross said. Chicago will likely roll with Kyle Hendricks and Yu Darvish in the first two games of the best-of-three series, which is set to begin Wednesday.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Kuhl expected to start for the Pirates against the Cubs
The Cubs will start Alec Mills on Thursday and the Pirates are expected to counter with Chad KuhlSEPTEMBER 24, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cubs 5, Pirates 0: Jon Lester and Kyle Schwarber lead the way That’s more like it.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 • BLEEDCUBBIEBLUE.COM
Mariners beat Astros 6-1, help Athletics claim AL West title
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lester cruises, Schwarber responds as Cubs top Pirates 5-0 Jon Lester scattered four hits over six innings and the Chicago Cubs inched closer to their first NL Central title since 2017 with a 5-0 win...
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 • STARTRIBUNE.COM
Stymies Pirates Monday Lester (3-2) tossed six scoreless innings to pick up the win Monday against the Pirates. He allowed four hits and a walk, while striking out one.
Impact After a rough patch of outings between mid-August and early September, Lester has turned things around in his last three starts. The veteran has logged 17 innings in those games and has allowed just two earned runs, lowering his ERA from 5.80 to 4.40 in the process. He's not missing a ton of bats, with just 10 strikeouts in those 17 innings, and Pittsburgh is certainly a soft matchup, but this is still encouraging for Lester and the Cubs as they move toward the playoffs. The lefty lines up for one more regular season start Saturday against the White Sox.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Lester cruises, Schwarber responds as Cubs top Pirates 5-0
Jon Lester scattered four hits over six innings and the Chicago Cubs inched closer to their first NL Central title since 2017 with a 5-0 win over the Pittsburgh PiratesSEPTEMBER 22, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Column: Jon Lester is making the decisions about his Cubs future — short term and long term — difficult for David Ross and Theo Epstein After he makes his final regular-season start Saturday against the Chicago White Sox on the South Side, Jon Lester’s future with the Chicago...
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
Pirates look to stop 4-game skid against Cubs
Pittsburgh will try to break its four-game losing streak when the Pirates take on ChicagoSEPTEMBER 21, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Molina homers, Flaherty fans 11 as Cardinals top Pirates 2-1
Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer and Jack Flaherty pitched six dominant innings as the St. Louis Cardinals kept their hold on a postseason spot with a 2-1 victory over the Pittsbu...SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Can Jon Lester return to the Cubs and get his Wrigley Field farewell? The Cubs won’t trigger a $25 million option for a fifth starter, but Lester could still be playing in Chicago next season.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2020 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Notes: Ross, Rizzo on Lester; injury updates Cubs manager David Ross understood what was weighing on Jon Lester on Sunday night. The veteran pitcher was coming to terms with the fact th...
SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 • MLB.COM
Jon Lester leaves door open for return to Cubs after 2020 Jon Lester wants to return to the Chicago Cubs. The Chicago Cubs are in the middle of a strange 2020 season in which stars like Javier Baez...
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • FANSIDED.COM
Wrigley farewell? 'Lot of emotions' for Lester Jon Lester wanted nothing more than to raise his cap to a packed Wrigley Field when he walked off the mound for the final time at the ballpa...
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • MLB.COM
Takes no-decision Lester did not factor into the decision during Wednesday's win over the Indians, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out one batter across five innings.
Impact Lester got off to a messy first inning, during which he allowed a baserunner to score on a wild pitch. The 36-year-old settled down from there, quieting Cleveland's bats until a solo blast off the bat of Oscar Mercado in the fifth frame. Lester then left the game with the score knotted, 2-2. The right-hander, coming off a season-high eight strikeouts, has done well over his last two starts but has seen an inconsistent season to the tune of a 4.91 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Lester is slated to take the mound for a favorable matchup Monday at Pittsburgh.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Báez single gives Cubs 4th straight win, 3-2 over Indians
Javier Báez’s RBI single in the 10th inning lifted the Chicago Cubs to their fourth straight win, 3-2 over the Cleveland IndiansSEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dodgers beat Padres, become 1st to clinch postseason berth
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cubs walk off over Indians on consecutive HBPs
Willson Contreras and Cameron Maybin were plunked by consecutive pitches from Cleveland reliever Nick Wittgren in the ninth inning, forcing home the winning run as the Chicago Cubs...SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
