MLB Rumors: Jon Lester, Nationals Engaged in Contract Talks Ahead of 2021 Season

After a quiet start to free agency, free-agent left-hander Jon Lester reportedly has another team interested in his services for 2021.  

According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Greenberg of The Athletic, the Washington Nationals are "in talks" with the veteran who spent the past six seasons with the Chicago Cubs. 

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported in November that the San Francisco Giants were interested in the 37-year-old. 

The Cubs declined Lester's $25 million option for the upcoming season after he tossed 61 innings with a career-worst 5.16 ERA during the pandemic-shortened season. But his best days aren't that far behind him given that he earned his fifth All-Star selection in 2018 when he led the National League with 18 wins. 

Before joining the Cubs, Lester spent eight full seasons with the Boston Red Sox, where he won a pair of World Series championships before adding his third with the Cubs in 2016. Back in October, when the team elected to buy him out rather than exercise his option, Lester noted that he wanted to negotiate a new deal with the Cubs. 

Per ESPN's Jesse Rogers, Lester had previously expressed interest in reaching 200 wins as a member of the Cubs. He had 193 wins at the end of 2020. 

In Washington, Lester would slot into the back of a rotation that includes Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg. Austin Voth and Erick Fedde are options already rostered behind them.