John Lackey looks forward to one day visiting Cooperstown to watch Jon Lester’s Hall of Fame induction.
Lester officially announced his retirement Wednesday after 16 MLB seasons. The 38-year-old spent the first nine years of his career with the Boston Red Sox. He was teammates with Lackey from 2010-14 in Boston and 2016-17 with the Chicago Cubs.
Tomase: Lester’s retirement a reminder of how badly Sox botched his exit
In a conversation with ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, Lackey had a strong stance on Lester’s eventual Hall-of-Fame candidacy.
“I told my kids, I’m not going until Jon gets in,” Lackey said. “That’s when we’re going to Cooperstown. I can’t wait to be there.”
Lester will have a solid case when he’s eligible for induction in five years. The left-hander is a three-time World Series champion and a five-time All-Star. His postseason résumé is stellar and includes a 2.51 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 26 appearances (154 innings). He’s made more Game 1 playoff starts than any other pitcher in MLB history.
“Just a pro’s pro,” Lackey told Rogers. “Worked his butt off. Friggin’ took the ball every five days. Wasn’t a huge talker in the locker room. Led by example. Maybe the best playoff pitcher ever.”
Is Jon Lester a Hall of Famer?
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) January 12, 2022
Lester was traded from the Red Sox to the Oakland Athletics during the 2014 season. He spent the next six years…
