Boston Red Sox: Top 3 performances of Jon Lester’s Boston career
A franchise that is as old as the Boston Red Sox is bound to have legends, heroes, and superstars remembered across generations.
Consider Jon Lester to be one of those remembered for years to come.
Lester, a 16-year veteran who spent close to nine seasons with the Red Sox, announced his retirement earlier this week. It was a highly-successful career, highlighted by 200 wins and three World Series titles (two of which were accomplished with Boston).
Five times Lester won 15 or more games during his time with the Red Sox, finishing with a total of 110 during his Boston tenure. Fans can point to multiple times he shined — whether with the Red Sox or at his other stops — but there are three top performances to be remembered from his time in Boston.
A no-no for the Boston Red Sox
Early in the 2008 season, Lester was in many ways still getting his feet wet in the big leagues. Yes, he’d helped the Red Sox to a 2007 World Series title and flashed signs of brilliance. But his real success was just getting started.
Things really took off for Lester when he tossed a no-hitter on May 19 of that season.
The opponent was the Kansas City Royals and the 7-0 victory that day was the fourth win in what turned out to be a seven-game winning streak for Boston.
Lester wasn’t quite perfect that spring day but he was sensational. It took 130 pitches to secure the no-no, in which Lester struck out nine and walked two. That game also holds the distinction of being the fourth no-hitter caught by Jason Varitek and also the last time (as of this writing) that a Boston pitcher has accomplished this feat.
A career-year was on hand for Lester in which he finished 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA. He struck out 152 over the course of 210.1 innings. Lester also had another complete game shutout that season, too, a five-hitter in Yankee Stadium.
While the Red Sox ultimately fell to the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS that season, it was a performance by Lester in the ALDS that even got Boston that far.