I think the answer is YES.

His ERA is 4.30 going into this game. That's going up after tonight. WHIP and FIP aren't good either. So it's not just bad luck.

He sucks.

Certainly not an ace. Pitching like a 4.

He's also been a 5 or 6 inning pitcher because the pitch count gets so high in the first 2 innings. So he also is contributing to destroying the bullpen.

He's been decidedly average this year but 2016. His contract was going to be bad at the end and everyone knew that going in. Hopefully he can be Lackey for a couple years before shuffling off.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

But the drop off shouldn't have been this bad. He's doubled his ERA from last year. He's only 33. That's not that old to drop off the cliff like he has. 2nd half of this season has really been bad for him. He probably has a 6+ ERA in the 2nd half.

He's pitched a lot of innings. He'll be fine

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

This is either the 3rd or 4th time he has gotten his doors blown off. He is either hurt, tired or bad. Regardless of which is true he can not pitch another meaningful game this year unless absolutely necessary.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I don't think so. Let's hope that shoulder tear he has had for years isn't getting worse. Wouldn't surprise me to hear after the season is over that he has been pitching "in pain" for the last couple months.

Certainly sucks this year. Could bounce back next year. Greinke was horseshit last year.

His mph and movement are fine arent they? Isn't it just really terrible command?

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I'll always be grateful for 2016, but any Cubs fan should not put a solid amount of faith in Lester to perform admirably in these coming playoffs. Lower your expectations, and treat it as a surprise if he pitches well in October.

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His FB velocity seems down. I remember him pounding the zone at 95. Now it's mostly 92.

I don't want to see him in October if the Cubs are playing. No command and easily flustered this year. Needs his daddy rossy back.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

That can be said for the entire pitching staff.

There is also a reason no one even makes the playoffs anymore after winning it all.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Been bad since just before the all star break

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

What type of logic is that? If it's about lots of innings, they don't stop until the season is over. There will only be more innings of bad. He won't be fine.

I mean, I'll still take my chances with him over Quintana or Lackey. Great in post season and being left handed means he has some craftiness in him.


But yeah, he's on the way down.

He'll make the post season rotation because he's Jon Lester. But if you were just scouting 4 starters on the Cubs to make it without knowing names, he wouldn't make it. Montgomery would make it over him if you were doing that.

His stuff looks like trash. Like you guys said, a few miles off the fastball. But his breaking stuff doesn't move like it once did. He doesn't miss bats anymore.

So he fucking sucks. Pray for a decent outing or two in October.

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I won't pray for anything. I don't care. Just an observation. My team sucks so I'm watching more Cubs. But Moncada is coming on really nice. So at least we've got that.

That's good. I hope he is a piece that allows us to have a Cubs/Sox World Series in our lifetime.

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He's a pro. He'll dig a little deeper for the games that matter.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

It was the offense's fault tonight.

He looks like he is hurt. Right now, he should go behind Jake and Kyle against Washington so it's a home game, and have Lackey ready to come in early if it's a bad night.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

.578 Winning pecentage

He's striking out more than usual this year. The problem is not missing bats. The problem is consistency. He's had mostly quality starts. But as has been said, he throws an absolute train wreck in there every 6th start or so.

Not since the AS break. You figure Lester makes the postseason rotation, but at this point he is pitching game 3 (or 4) at Wrigley. Hendricks and either Q or Arreita go #1 and #2 right?

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Lester is performing like every other pitcher that has pitched deep into the playoffs and accumulated a high number of stressful innings.

They should give him the next two weeks off and save him for the playoffs. He is not helping them by not being 90%

If they make the playoffs....

I dont know at this point. Usually Maddon would defer to Lester but he's pitched himself out of game 1 consideration now.

Lester probably pitches Game 2 or 3.