Washington Nationals left-handed Jon Lester will be leaving spring training camp to undergo surgery to remove his thyroid, manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday.
37-year-old Lester would travel from West Palm Beach, Florida, to New York for the procedure.
“Hopefully he can pitch again in about a week,” Martinez said in a video conference with reporters before Washington’s practice game against the Miami Marlins. “We want him to take care of it now, so it’s not a problem.”
Martinez said the Nationals “still have plans, as of now, for him to start the season with us on his scheduled day, but we’ll have to see – after this procedure is complete – how he feels.”
In 2006, Lester’s rookie season with the Boston Red Sox ended prematurely because he was diagnosed with a form of lymphoma.
He underwent chemotherapy treatments and returned to the Red Sox for spring training the following season.
Lester enters his 16th year in the majors and first with Washington. He was a free agent and joined the Nationals on a $ 5 million one-year contract after playing with the Chicago Cubs for the past six seasons.
The starting pitcher was originally scheduled to play for Washington for the first time on Thursday in a Grapefruit League-game.
But Martinez said that after additional test results came in, a decision was made on Tuesday for Lester to have the surgery.
He said Lester felt tired.
“That’s the big problem. I feel like he’ll have a lot more energy throughout the day once they get this out of the closet,” said the manager. “I hope it works out for him. Really. He’s a big part of what we do here and we’re thrilled to have him. He’s been hard at work day in and day out and I know he will help us. “
Washington added Lester to a star-studded rotation that already included three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg, and left-handed Patrick Corbin.
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RF Juan Soto was in the line-up for his exhibition debut on Wednesday, hitting No. 2, behind CF Victor Robles and ahead of SS Trea Turner.
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Martinez said the team will use a range of relievers on Thursday.