Chicago Cubs: Jon Lester’s return to form played huge role for the team

Chicago Cubs: Looking like a 20-game winner once again

After taking the loss on Opening Day in Miami, Lester turned it on. He pitched to an earned run average no higher than 2.71 in April, May and June, heading into the month of July at 10-2. A two-time 19-game winner, this looked like it might be the season he finally cracked 20 victories.

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The southpaw was lights-out nearly every time he took the ball in the first half, turning in 111 2/3 innings of ball in which he held opponents to a .224 clip. His exploits loomed large in the grand scheme of things on the North Side. Those who had envisioned a one-two punch of Lester and right-hander Yu Darvish were in for a rude awakening.

Darvish took the ball for the last time on May 20. But, in typical Jon Lester fashion, the Cubs ace put his head down and just kept grinding, going 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA in June, doing everything he could to keep his team atop the division.

His efforts netted him his fifth career All-Star selection. He finished up the first half at 12-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 19 outings and it looked as if he might have a real shot as a National League Cy Young finalist.

Chicago Cubs: A horrendous month of July for Lester

As well as Jon Lester pitched prior to the All-Star Break, he pitched equally poorly coming out of it. In his final three starts of July, he amassed a mere 14 innings with an earned run average north of 8.00.

Lester talked about mechanical issues around this time, making it pretty clear he knew what was wrong and that he was working to address said concerns. But when your stuf left-hander turns in a 1.83 WHIP over the span of a full calendar month, it’s more than a bit concerning.

His struggles carried over into the month of August, as well. Lester failed to pitch past the sixth inning even once and gave up a cumulative 13 earned runs in his first two outings of August. From there, though, something clearly clicked.

He tossed six scoreless frames against Pittsburgh on Aug. 16 and followed that up with a 5 2/3-inning, one-run effort on Aug. 22. From that point forward, the 34-year-old Lester did not allow more than three earned runs in a start the rest of the season.

Chicago Cubs: With the season on the line, Lester steps up

Looking back at the final month of the Cubs’ 2018 campaign, you can point to all kinds of ways it went wrong. The offense ranked 11th in the National League with a .670 OPS, Kris Bryant clearly never got back to 100 percent in returning from his shoulder injury and, as a whole, the Milwaukee Brewers played out of their minds down the stretch.

One culprit you’ll never see fingered? Lester, who pitched to a 1.52 ERA in the month of September, allowing a grand total of five earned runs over that span. In his one loss, he allowed only three earned. Shockingly enough, that loss lands at the feet of the offense, which tallied just two runs on five hits against Milwaukee.

After the team coughed up thier lead in the National League Central, Joe Maddon turned to his lefty ace in a win-or-go-home Wild Card game at Wrigley Field. And, per usual, the veteran stepped up on the biggest stage, striking out nine and allowing just one run over six innings. But, again, the offense fell flat and, just like that, the season was over.

Now that we have some separation from that disappointing ending, perhaps we can more fully appreciate how Lester did everything asked of him from start to finish yet again for the Cubs. You already got a ring with him, the goal when they brought him to the North Side. But after his strong showing in 2018 as a mid-30s hurler, you can’t help but think he’s ready for a couple more.