Cubs put their faith in Lester for huge Game 5

LOS ANGELES — As Cubs starter Jon Lester absorbed the sales pitch, impressive as it was, he nevertheless understood that a leap of faith would have to accompany a decision to spurn competing offers from perennial contenders San Francisco and Boston to instead accept the imagine-what-could-be opportunity presented by Chicago.

But Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein was impassioned and honest as his recruitment of Lester intensified after the 2014 season. Chicago showered Lester with gifts, offered a fine financial package of $155 million, impressed upon him the up-and-coming talent in the farm system and left him with a DVD that depicted Lester securing the franchise’s first World Series championship since 1908.

• NLCS Game 5: Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/7 CT on FS1

And that December, Lester bought in, committing the next six years of his career to an organization that had just averaged 94 losses over a four-year span. Recalling that decision on Wednesday, Lester remarked, “You’re betting on words.”

Game Date Time Matchup TV/Highlights Gm 1 Oct. 15   CHC 8, LAD 4 Gm 2 Oct. 16   LAD 1, CHC 0 Gm 3 Oct. 18   LAD 6, CHC 0 Gm 4 Oct. 19 CHC @ LAD FS1 Gm 5 Oct. 20 8 p.m. CHC @ LAD FS1 *Gm 6 Oct. 22 TBD LAD @ CHC FS1 *Gm 7 Oct. 23 TBD LAD @ CHC FS1 * If necessary | All times listed ET  • NLCS coverageShop for postseason gear: Cubs | Dodgers

But the vision the Cubs presented then is inching nearer to a reality now. And while Lester …

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