Plays For
Boston Red Sox (2006-present)

Primary Team
Boston Red Sox

Jon Lester is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Red Sox drafted Lester in the second round (No. 57 overall) of the 2002 First Year Players Draft and gave him the highest signing bonus of any second-rounder that year.

Lester quickly moved through the Red Sox organization, posting an 11-6 record, a league-leading 2.61 ERA and a league-best 163 strikeouts for the AA Portland Sea Dogs in 2005. He was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year and Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year and was selected as the left-handed pitcher on the Eastern League's year-end All-Star team and on the year-end Topps AA All-Star squad. He made the jump to the Majors with only 11 Triple-A starts under his belt, going 3-4 with a 2.70 ERA (14 ER/46.2 IP) for Pawtucket.

On June 10, 2006 Lester was called up to make his major league debut against the Texas Rangers.He recorded a no-decision in Boston's 7-4 loss to Texas. Lester earned his first win June 16 in Atlanta, defeating Tim Hudson, 4-1. Lester limited the Braves to one run on five hits and three walks in 6.0 innings, fanning 5...at 22 years, 160 days of age, becoming the youngest Red Sox starter to win a game since 1999. Lester became the first Sox pitcher since 2002 with 10 strikeouts in a game in 2006 en route to a 9-3 win vs. Washington on June 21, which was his first win at Fenway Park. He became the first Red Sox rookie left-handed pitcher in club history to win his first five decisions, securing his fifth win with a 1-0 win July 18 vs. Kansas City He did not suffer his first big-league loss until his 10th start July 28 vs. the Angels. He became the first Red Sox rookie to win seven games since 1993.

In the 2007 World Series, Lester won the series-clinching Game Four for the Red Sox, pitching 5⅔ shutout innings, giving up just 3 hits and 3 walks while collecting 3 strikeouts. Lester became just the 3^rd pitcher in World Series history to win the series clinching game in his first post-season start.

On May 19, 2008, Lester threw his first career Major League no-hitter, and the 18th in Red Sox history, in a 7-0 win against the Kansas City Royals. Lester threw 130 pitches in the game, allowing only two walks and striking out 9 batters.