Jon Lester retiring

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Jon Lester, a veteran of 16 big-league seasons, announced his retirement from Major League Baseball to ESPN's Jesse Rogers on Wednesday. Lester cited the physical toll as one of the main reasons he was hanging up his cleats.

"It's kind of run its course," Lester told Rogers. "It's getting harder for me physically. The little things that come up throughout the year turned into bigger things that hinder your performance."

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In 452 regular-season appearances (all but one of them a start), Lester compiled a 3.66 ERA (117 ERA+) and a 2.79 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He finished with an even 200 wins, as well as 44.2 Wins Above Replacement, a figure that puts him outside of the average Hall of Fame pitcher -- though the changing standards associated with the position could work in his favor.

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Here's where Lester ranks among pitchers in several notable categories dating back to the last round of expansion (minimum: 1,000 innings):

Starts: 8th (451)
Innings pitched: 11th (2,740)
Wins: 9th (200)
ERA+: 35th (117)
WAR: 21st (44.2)

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Lester's case should also be bolstered by the aspects of his career not captured in those numbers. He was a five-time All-Star and a three-time World Series champion who had his rookie season delayed by a lymphoma diagnosis that required chemotherapy. Lester was nonetheless able to return to the Red Sox midseason, and he later threw 5 2/3 shutout innings in what proved to be his first of five World Series starts.

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