Yahoo Finance Jon Lester thanks Cubs fans with $31K worth of beer, adds fitting tip
Jon Lester doesn’t know what the future holds. The past, though, consists of six solid seasons with the Chicago Cubs, including the club’s first World Series title in 108 years.
The left-handed pitcher is a free agent this offseason after the Cubs declined his 2021 option on Friday. There’s still a chance he lands back at Wrigley Field, but if not he’s properly thanked the fans with a weekend of free beer. More than $31,000 worth of free beer, to be more specific.
Lester buys beer for Cubs fans
Lester took to Twitter to announce his beer-buying weekend in Chicago. Patrons could make a reservation at one of four bars and their first Miller Lite would go on #JonsTab.
Regardless of what's next I want to thank the fans for the past 6 years. So this weekend (10.30-11.1) Im buying y’all my favorite beer. Make a res at @Hopsmithchicago @LodgeTavern @ButchMcGuires @ShenannigansHOB & your 1st @MillerLite is on me. Just tell em to put it on #JonsTab
— Jon Lester (@JLester34) October 30, 2020
Those inexpensive Miller Lites piled up quickly and by the end of Friday night, he had paid for 695 of them. The tab was $5,220.87 on beer and tax alone. That doesn’t include gratuity.
Great start yesterday, 695 @MillerLites served so far, appreciate y’all coming out. Let’s keep it going!! #JonsTab pic.twitter.com/UyrEFVDKUD
— Jon Lester (@JLester34) October 31, 2020
Then Halloween came along, and even though a pandemic is raging and the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States in increasing, people still went out as normal. It triggered a fraud alert for a man who signed a six-year, $155 million deal ahead of the 2015 season.
Nice work Chicago! 2,771 @MillerLites & a fraud alert yesterday. So far y’all have put a total of 3,466 beers on my tab. Let’s finish strong today, and mask up damn it! #JonsTab @Hopsmithchicago @LodgeTavern @ShenannigansHOB @ButchMcGuires pic.twitter.com/adZgB2Jhcf
— Jon Lester (@JLester34) November 1, 2020
By the end of Sunday, when his free beer promotion was done, Lester had been responsible for 4,838 beers. It accrued a total of $47,094.90 on his credit card consisting of $31,082.63 on Miller Lite and $16,012.27 in gratuity.
Lester adds gratuity fitting of his number
If you looked at any of the receipts closely, or are good at noticing mathematical thirds, you noticed a trend. Lester added a 34 percent gratuity to each of the 12 receipts as a nod to his uniform number in Chicago. He won one of his three World Series with the club and was named co-MVP of the National League Conference Series that same postseason.
Monday marked four years since the monumental victory. He also has two championships during a nine-year stay with the Boston Red Sox.
Lester had a 77-44 record with the Cubs and a 3.64 ERA. In the shortened 2020 season, he posted a career-high 5.16 ERA. He said on ESPN 1000 in Chicago on Friday that he hopes he does end up on the Cubs roster again next season.
"I know there is some doubt as far as the money that's out there, but I would like to think we can definitely get this thing done," Lester said. "I think it's going to be a long offseason for everybody."
The Cubs turned down his $25 million option. The lefty has said he wants to win his 200th career game as a Cub and needs only seven to do it (193-111).
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