|
 The National League Central club did not confirm the deal, but
new manager Joe Maddon did late on Tuesday, excited about adding
30-year-old Lester in what could be a key step in the mission to
bring the Cubs a first World Series title since 1908.
"This definitely propels us into Plan A, which is kind of neat,"
Maddon told reporters in the lobby of the Winter Meetings
headquarter hotel in San Diego, adding he received the news in a
text from Cubs chief of baseball operations Theo Epstein.
"It's a big day for us, moving forward. It really brings a lot of
different factors together. It's very exciting."
The deal has been reported by local media to be six years and $155
million, which would make it the Cubs' richest ever.
 Earlier on Tuesday, the Cubs traded with the Arizona Diamondbacks to
obtain All-Star catcher Miguel Montero.
The Chicago White Sox of the American League (73-89) have also made
big moves, trading with Oakland for starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija
and signing free agent closer David Robertson and slugger Adam
LaRoche in the offseason.
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The Cubs, who are loaded with promising young position players, have
not had a winning record since 2009, the last time they finished
above fifth place in the division.
Last year Lester was 16-11 with a 2.46 ERA in 32 starts between
Boston and Oakland. The lefty has compiled a 116-67 career record
and helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2007 and 2013.
"It's not often you get to win the lottery," said Maddon, who left
the Tampa Bay Rays after the 2014 season to join the Cubs, who also
went 73-89. "We won the baseball lottery so far this year. Now it's
up to us to put it into effect."
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York)
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