Chicago Cubs All-Star pitcher Jon Lester has been voted the National League Pitcher of the Month for the month of September.
Lester had a perfect 5-0 record in his five starts last month, leading the Majors in wins and posting a Major League-best 0.48 ERA (two earned runs over 37.2 innings pitched). The southpaw held opposing hitters to a NL-best .171 batting average last month, allowing just 22 hits across his five outings. Lester also ranked second in the NL in innings pitched, while issuing just four walks against 31 strikeouts during the month.
On Sunday, September 25th, the 32-year-old earned his career-high-tying 19th win of the season with 6.2 innings of three-hit ball in a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. The victory was his 10th consecutive winning decision dating back to July 18th, and it marked his seventh scoreless outing of the season. The 10 straight wins marked a career best for the veteran hurler, who posted a 1.34 ERA (13 ER/87.0 IP) during that span. On September 20th, the four-time All-Star tossed 7.0 scoreless innings en route to a 6-1 victory over Cincinnati. On September 14th at St. Louis, he fanned eight and issued a walk over 8.0 scoreless frames in a 7-0 blanking of the Cardinals. This is the fifth career Pitcher of the Month Award for Lester and his second this season, having also won for the month of June. He was voted American League Pitcher of the Month twice in 2008 (July and September), and again in May 2010, all as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Other pitchers receiving votes included San Francisco's Johnny Cueto (4-0, 1.78 ERA, 35 SO, 35.1 IP); rookie Alex Reyes (3-1, 1.97 ERA, 35 SO, 32.0) of the St. Louis Cardinals; and Washington's Max Scherzer (4-0, 2.43 ERA, 39 SO, 33.1 IP).
The National League Pitcher of the Month for September, Jon Lester, will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, to commemorate his performance.