A look at the 2015 Chicago Cubs starting rotation options

Sep 19, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jon Lester (31) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

1) Jon Lester

• 2014 statistics: 16-11, 2.46 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 32 GS, 219.2 IP
• 2015 projected: 13-9, 3.28 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 30 GS, 192 IP

The biggest splash of the offseason for the Chicago Cubs came in the form of a veteran southpaw whose familiarity with president of baseball operations Theo Epstein is well-documented at this point. Former Boston Red Sox ace Jon Lester joined the Cubs on a six-year, $155 million in December, giving the team its first significant free agent signing since Alfonso Soriano.

With the deal, the team immediately went from rebuilding to contending in the minds of fans – and even many critics. World Series odds for the Lovable Losers skyrocketed in Las Vegas, optimism was at an all-time high and it was all because of Lester. Last season, the left-hander opened the year with Boston, but after the team fell flat on its face early-on, Ben Cherington dealt the fan favorite to the Oakland Athletics in the deal that brought outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox.

Lester, meanwhile, kept doing what he does – competing. In fact, he actually got better down the stretch, making 11 starts with a 2.35 ERA and 1.070 WHIP. Of course, many Athletics fans recall Lester mainly for his outing in the American League Wild Card game against the eventual pennant-winning Kansas City Royals, but his contributions down the stretch were ace-like, to say the least.

For Chicago, as much of a physical impact as the soon-to-be 31-year-old will make at the top of the rotation, his leadership and winning attitude are perhaps his most valuable contributions in 2015 and beyond.