Braves GM on meeting with Jon Lester: 'It's a long shot'

The Atlanta Braves are scheduled to meet with left-hander Jon Lester on Thursday, and president of baseball operations John Hart knows he has his work cut out for him.

One card Hart will have to play in order to lure the free agent is location. Lester makes his offseason home in the Atlanta area and has said in the past that family is a priority for him.

Another is the tradition of strong pitching in Atlanta. Lester would join a starting rotation that already boasts Julio Teheran, Alex Wood, Mike Minor and Shelby Miller.

Recent turmoil within the franchise, however, may act as a deterrent if Lester is looking for a win-now scenario. The Braves imploded at the end of the last season, fired their GM and recently sent Jason Heyward packing to St. Louis. All of these factors contribute to the reality that the Braves aren't likely to contend in the National League East in 2015.

Money, of course, is also another obstacle. Lester could command up to $25 million per season over five or six years, and the Braves already have deep financial commitments to other players such as B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel and Freddie Freeman, to name a few.

The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are also rumored to be very interested in Lester.