Mo' Lester Talk

From Tuesday: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark says Jon Lester joining the Dodgers is unlikely:

With every day, every Red Sox loss, every rumor, the odds increase that Jon Lester is going to be wearing a different uniform by this weekend. But which uniform? That's a question with more potential answers than you might think.

So after kicking around this topic with executives whose teams aren't involved in this particular derby, we'd include these clubs as potential candidates to match up with the Red Sox for Lester:

Los Angeles Dodgers:

They're in on everybody. And they'd clearly love to add a starting pitcher this dominating. But a Matt Kemp-for-Lester deal isn't going to happen. And if the Dodgers balked at trading elite prospects like Joc Pederson and Corey Seager for David Price (whom they'd control through next year and might be able to sign long-term), would it really make sense for them to pay that price tag for a rent-an-ace? "They've been so consistent about not trading those guys," said one exec, "it's hard for me to believe they'd do that for Lester."

This afternoon, it seems the Orioles and Red Sox were close to terms, but it fizzled out (link via mlbtraderumors.com):

The Orioles and Red Sox, engaged in talks on Lester this afternoon, no longer appear to be a trade fit, according to people briefed on the discussions.

Though the teams were "definitely" talking, as one source put it, a deal was never close. The reason? The Orioles, who just received news that top pitching prospect Hunter Harvey will miss the rest of the year with an elbow injury, did not want to meet Boston's reasonable asking price by giving up additional top prospects for Lester.

It is unclear if talks could be revived before the Thursday 4pm deadline.

So we wait.