Lester did not factor in the decision against Cincinnati on Friday, tossing seven innings and allowing two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out two.
The veteran was a bit wild in the contest -- he tied a season high with four free passes -- but Lester was nonetheless effective, completing seven innings for the first time since July 19 and limiting the Reds to a pair of solo home runs. The strong outing continued a recent resurgence by the southpaw, who has posted a 1.90 ERA over his past four starts covering 23.2 frames. His peripherals make it hard to believe in Lester's continued success, as he has also posted a less-than-ideal 13:10 K:BB over that stretch, so fantasy managers should proceed with caution. Lester's next start is tentatively slated to come in New York against the Mets next week.