Lester trade gives Athletics best rotation in American League
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The Oakland Athletics were looking to send a message to the Detroit Tigers and the rest of the American League, and boy did they ever.
After watching the Tigers' pitching staff almost single-handily knock them out of the ALDS in two straight years, Athletics general manager Billy Beane improved his rotation in a hurry with a pair of blockbuster deals.
Factoring in Jeff Samardzija's numbers with the Chicago Cubs, the Athletics now boast three (Samardzija, Jon Lester and Sonny Gray) of the AL's top ERA leaders. It also gives the club two top-of-the-rotation arms to potentially lean on for four of fives games in a division series.
Here's a look at how Oakland's staff projects to shake out after the trade, depending on if the club elects to use Jason Hammel or Jesse Chavez at the back of the rotation.
| Name | IP | ERA | FIP | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Lester | 143.0 | 2.52 | 2.62 | 149 |
| Jeff Samardzija | 144.2 | 2.92 | 3.33 | 130 |
| Sonny Gray | 139.0 | 2.65 | 3.19 | 121 |
| Scott Kazmir | 129.1 | 2.37 | 3.23 | 116 |
| Jason Hammel | 125.2 | 3.87 | 3.74 | 116 |
In giving up Cespedes, the Athletics took a calculated risk that an outfield platoon between Josh Reddick and Jonny Gomes is productive enough to not leave a black hole in the middle of the lineup.
A subsequent trade netted the club outfielder Sam Fuld from Minnesota in a deal that helps provide Athletics manager Bob Melvin additional depth off the bench and an insurance policy for the injured Coco Crisp.
For the Athletics, it's a low-risk, high-reward move. It's unlikely the team would have met the contract demands for Cespedes when he hits free agency in 2015, given his age, durability concerns and career .318 on-base percentage.
On the flip side, the trade makes sense for the Boston Red Sox, who acquire a middle-of-the-order bat with solid defense and the ability to expose the snug left field dimensions of Fenway Park. The Red Sox were lacking a power-hitting outfielder and now have one under contract through next year.
It also remains a possibility that Lester could return to Boston as a free agent at the end of the season, making this a win-win move for both clubs.
The Athletics made this deal to win now and it's tough to argue they won't do just that.