From today's Globe:
Lester stays in rotation, will start on Saturday
Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff July 24, 2012 12:41 AM
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Red Sox are sticking with Jon Lester, Bobby Valentine saying after the game that the struggling lefthander will stay in the rotation. Lester's next game will be on Saturday against the Yankees in the Bronx.
Lester will have a change in routine, however. Instead of his usual bullpen session on Wednesday, he will face some hitters in a simulated game.
“We’ve got a nice proactive plan,” said Valentine, who met with Lester before tonight's 9-1 loss. “He says he feels great and is throwing the ball as well as he’s thrown the ball in a couple of years. We’ve just got to get him at a point where his good stuff if getting hitters out and he says he’s ready to do that.”
Lester is 5-8 with a 5.46 earned run average. Of the 42 qualified starters in the American League, only three have a higher ERA. He has lost his last three starts, giving up 21 earned runs on 25 hits and 10 walks over 12.1 innings.
Lester had the worst start of his career on Sunday against Toronto, allowing 11 earned runs before being pulled in the fourth inning.
Lester faced the Yankees on July 8 and allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits. He did not get out of the fifth inning in a game the Red Sox lost, 7-3.