Jon Lester and his agent will meet with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, sources have told Buster Olney of ESPN. Atlanta should safely be considered a dark horse in the Lester sweepstakes. Teams like the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are seen as more likely to land his services.
Then again, perhaps Atlanta’s recent moves have cleared financial space in order to make a run at the lefty. Lester makes his offseason home in the Atlanta suburbs. Joining the franchise closest to where he lives is an obvious draw.
Skeptics will argue that the team should have held onto Jason Heyward if a run at signing Lester was already planned. Heyward was one of the team’s best defensive players and a dangerous weapon at the plate.
In a different school of thought, perhaps the Heyward trade and expected free agent losses, most notably Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang, leave the Braves with enough financial flexibility to add a pitcher like Lester. Adding him along with Shelby Miller, the pitcher acquired for Heyward, might just be enough to bolster their starting rotation.
The Braves are unlikely to be the favorites to sign Lester to an enormous deal, partly with the uncertainty about their offseason plans. Other teams will simply make bigger offers, outbidding the Braves early in the process. The two sides will meet on Thursday. Perhaps the intent of those involved will be clearer then.