Jon Lester, a former Chicago Cubs pitcher, will attend spring training.
This time, the three-time World Series champion will be visiting teams he played on and won't be pitching this time around. For that matter, he won't be coaching, either.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Lester does not have any intention of joining a team in any official capacity.
“I’ve bounced around a couple of ideas, spitballing," Lester said. “But I don’t want to coach and get back in all of that. I don’t want a formal role."
The Cubs, Nightengale writes, hold a closer spot to Lester's heart than the Boston Red Sox. Lester spent nearly nine full seasons with the Red Sox, earning three All-Star appearances. Boston won two World Series while Lester was a member of the team.
Joining the Cubs in a front office or coaching role would be exciting for Chicago. He means a great deal to a city where he pitched for six seasons and helped win the 2016 World Series, the club's first in more than a century.
But, it does not sound like that's in the cards.
He last played in the big leagues in 2021, so he hasn't been out of the game for that long. Perhaps another few years out of the game might have him ready to come back and work as a coach or in a front office.
Lester will also likely be on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in three years, giving him a chance to get elected to Cooperstown. Between his three rings and 200 wins, he has a chance. But he is far from a lock for the most prestigious honor in baseball.
For now, he'll offer what he can to the Cubs and their players at spring training.
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