Jon Lester to St.Louis, Cole Hamels to Boston?

     I believe that at this year’s trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox will trade pitcher Jon Lester to the St. Louis Cardinals. In return, they will make another trade to acquire pitcher Cole Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies. I have evidence to back this up as well. I will make this as easy to follow as possible.

The Information

·         ESPN’s Jayson Stark suggests that the Red Sox will be buyers and sellers at the trade deadline.

·              The Red Sox recently tabled extension talks with pitcher Jon Lester.

·         The Red Sox have sent scouts to watch the Cardinal’s farm system and St.Louis sent scouts to Boston within the last two weeks. In return, the Phillies have sent their best scouts to Portland, Red Sox’s double A team recently. Prospects in Portland include Blake Swihart and Henry Owens (pitched 7/24).

·              The Red Sox have been linked to pitcher Cole Hamels within the last two weeks.

The Outcome

·         Jon Lester goes to St. Louis. In return, the Red Sox acquire three top prospects from their organization (most likely one positional player and two pitching prospects).

·              Then Red Sox trade three top prospects to Philadelphia in exchange for pitcher Cole Hamels. This trade would contain a similar package of one positional player and two pitching prospects. I suggest the deal would include catcher Blake Swihart, pitcher Henry Owens, and another pitching prospects (Trey Ball, Allen Webster?)

The Motivation to make this happen

Continually, Red Sox ownership has talked down about handing out long-term deals to players over thirty. In the past, the Red Sox offered Jon Lester four years at a total of $70 million, which many believe that this was a basis and the Red Sox would be willing to go as high as $90 million. If GM Ben Cherington is running the organization, Lester is gone. In return, they get a Jon Lester-esque pitcher in Cole Hamels (same age, similar stats) at the deal that they want (Hamels has four years left at just under $90 million). Both moves make sense together and recent news suggest that this could happen.

*Credit on knowledge of scouting goes to mlbtraderumors.com and Dan O'Mara