Which teams could be in the Jon Lester sweepstakes?

Jul 10, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) celebrates with right fielder Gregory Polanco (25) after scoring on a double by second baseman Neil Walker (not pictured) as St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Shelby Miller (40) looks on during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

2. Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 56-49, 3rd in NL Central (2 GB), 0.5 GB in NL Wild Card
Potential four-man playoff rotation: Lester, Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole (if healthy), Charlie Morton

Landing Lester would certainly vault the Pirates as a team that could take the NL Central, even make a nice playoff run. Adding to this would be that Cole looked good during last night’s rehab start. He’s scheduled to make at one more rehab start according to Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh tribune-Review.

That would give the Pirates a formidable top three. If Liriano can be the Liriano of 2013, even better.

The issues for the Pirates haven’t been as much as their offense, but their pitching. It’s not relegated only to their rotation as the bullpen has experienced ups and downs as well, a point I made yesterday.

According to MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince, the Pirates have something the Red Sox want and covet: outfield help. He mentions the likes of Josh Bell, Austin Meadows, and Harold Ramirez being blocked due to the current trio of Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco.

Another name I wouldn’t completely dismiss in this is Jose Tabata. Tabata has MLB experience and the Pirates appear to have cooled on him. The old “change of scenery” bit. Tabata was playing some decent ball at the time he was sent to Triple-A (.289/.327/.331). Depends if the Red Sox would rather have a prospect to mold as their own or go the way of a player that they can have on the 25-man now.