The San Francisco Giants may have just won the World Series, but it hasn't stopped them from looking to improve their chances of winning a fourth title in six years next season as the team plans to meet with highly coveted free agent pitcher Jon Lester on Monday.
Lester, who has visited several teams and remains on the wish list of many clubs around baseball, will have a meeting with Giants brass on Monday, according to ESPN's Buster Olney:
The Giants are meeting with Jon Lester today.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 1, 2014
Lester has received an offer to return to the Boston Red Sox while the Chicago Cubs also have a proposition on the table for the left-hander. There were reports that the Cubs' offer last week was a six-year deal that is north of $135 million.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, gave Lester a proposition in the $110-120 million range, which was more than what they offered him in-season before trading him to the Oakland Athletics at the deadline in July.
The Cubs were said to be the front-runner for Lester last week, but anything can happen during MLB free agency.
Boston has had a busy offseason, prying Pablo Sandoval from the Giants and then signing Hanley Ramirez out of free agency in moves that cost over $180 million. The Giants would love to swoop in and thwart off Boston in their pursuit of Lester after the team signed Sandoval away from them.
The Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals have also been said to be in the mix for the southpaw's services, but his decision has yet to be reached.
It is widely believed that once Lester decides to sign somewhere, it will set things in motions for other free agent pitchers and trade targets.
Lester, 30, went 16-11 overall between the Red Sox and A's in 2014 and ranked fourth in the American League with a 2.46 ERA and fifth with 220 strikeouts in 32 starts.
Lester, a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, is 116-67 in his nine-year career with a 3.58 ERA, 1.276 WHIP and 1,457 strikeouts.
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