Jon Lester is showing his gratitude to Cubs fans in an awesome way
Jon Lester’s future is uncertain, as he’s likely to hit the open market in the coming days.
The Cubs hold a $25 million option on the veteran southpaw for 2021 and if they don’t pick it up, he will become a free agent.
The two sides could still reach an agreement on a lesser deal for next season, but there’s also the possibility 2020 was Lester’s final season in a Cubs uniform.
To commemorate the last six years and to thank the fans of Chicago, Lester is doing something incredible – buying a round for the city:
Regardless of what's next I want to thank the fans for the past 6 years. So this weekend (10.30-11.1) Im buying y’all my favorite beer. Make a res at @Hopsmithchicago @LodgeTavern @ButchMcGuires @ShenannigansHOB & your 1st @MillerLite is on me. Just tell em to put it on #JonsTab
— Jon Lester (@JLester34) October 30, 2020
If fans make a reservation at Hopsmith Tavern, The Lodge, Butch McGuire’s or She-nannigans anytime over Halloween weekend and order a Miller Lite, Lester will pick up the tab for the first beer.
With the coronavirus forcing restrictions on bars in Chicago again, Lester followed up and said he and his team chose those four bars because they require reservations and have a lot of outdoor seating:
Yikes, I certainly hope not. We chose these 4 specific places bc they require reservations and it was the only area I knew of with ample outdoor space aside from Wrigley. I've been assured all federal, state, and local guidelines will be followed.
— Jon Lester (@JLester34) October 30, 2020
What a classy move by Lester, who has already given Cubs fans everything they could’ve hoped for when he signed the big deal ahead of the 2015 season.
The World Series champion acknowledged his final start at Wrigley Field this season was especially tough for him to swallow because he wasn’t able to share the moment with fans in the stands.
“I think that’s probably the most frustrating part for me,” Lester said then. “Going back to ’14, I didn’t really get to walk off the field like I wanted to at Fenway. Obviously tonight didn’t go quite the way I wanted to, having an empty stadium. Not really how I envisioned possibly my last start here.
“I didn’t think six years would go this fast.”