Jon Lester made a classy move by taking a full-age ad in the Sunday edition of the Boston Globe to show his gratitude to the Boston Red Sox and their fans. The 30-year-old lefty, who was playing his ninth season for the Red Sox before they traded him to Oakland on the day of the non-waiver trade deadline, also thanked the organization and said "Boston will always be my home."
Lester helped the Red Sox win two World Series titles and was named an All-Star three times during his tenure in Boston. While Lester's future is uncertain, those Red Sox fans he thanked could very well be watching him pitch in a Boston uniform in Fenway Park next year. Lester becomes a free agent after the 2014 season. Days before the trade deadline, he said he would be open to returning to the Red Sox even if they were to deal him.
"Yeah, why not?" Lester said, via ESPNBoston.com. "I mean, this is what I know, this is what I love. Like I've said many times, this is where I want to be. If they trade me, I completely understand."
The speculation has already begun. A few Red Sox players think Lester will return and the team is reportedly planning on pursuing him when free agency begins.