While the Red Sox have reportedly offered
Jon Lester a six-year $120 million contract ($20 million per year),
industry sources peg his real value at $25 million per year. According to Bruce Levine of Chicago's
WSCR Radio, the average annual value of a potential Lester contract is viewed in that stratospheric range—suggesting the Red Sox might be out of luck. The only pitchers to have averaged $25 million are
Justin Verlander,
Felix Hernandez and
Clayton Kershaw.
