Former Chicago Cubs Star Jon Lester Following in David Ross' Footsteps
![Sep 26, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester (34) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Sep 26, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester (34) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2957,h_1663,x_0,y_112/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_cubs/01j344kj5wb88mefcnnb.jpg)
There are few recent Chicago Cubs players that are as near and dear to the hearts of the fans as starting pitcher Jon Lester.
Lester was a huge part of making the Cubs a contender again and was a key part of their 2016 World Series win. He opted to retire in 2022 after his final season with the St. Louis Cardinals. However, he will forever be loved by fans in Chicago.
Fans will now get a chance to see Lester again.
As reported by Marquee Sports Network, Lester will join the Cubs' broadcasting team for the team's upcoming home stand against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers.
He will be in the studio for Friday and Saturday's games against the Diamondbacks and then will join the broadcast both on Sunday. After that, Lester will stick around in the broadcasting booth for the team's series against the Brewers.
Awful Announcing noted that Lester is following in the footsteps of his close friend and former Chicago fan favorite David Ross, who joined the broadcasting industry with ESPN between his retirement from baseball and his return to manage the Cubs.
It will be interesting to see if Lester is just killing some time on one occasion or if he's going to make a career out of broadcasting. His voice would certainly be welcome in the broadcast booth.
Lester is one of the best pitchers in recent history and his knowledge of the game would be a fun experience for the viewers.
During his 452-game career, with 451 of those appearances being starts, Lester put up huge numbers.
When all was said and done in his illustrious career, Lester ended up with a 200-117 record, a 3.66 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, a 2.8 K/BB ratio, and 2,488 strikeouts in 2,740.0 innings pitched.
Needless to say, Chicago fans will be excited to tune in and hear the longtime star in the broadcasting booth. Making this kind of return to cover the Cubs is something fans are going to enjoy.
Hopefully, Lester will end up being a part of calling a successful start to the second half of the season. Chicago is not terribly far out off the postseason picture and a strong first two series showing would help them claw their way even closer.