Jon Lester spent $47,000 on beer as farewell gift to Cubs fans

Jon Lester may be leaving the Chicago Cubs, but he’s certainly making his goodbye a memorable one for some of the team’s fans.

Lester sent several tweets over the weekend inviting Cubs fans to visit four Chicago bars. On Monday, he tweeted the tabs, showing he spent over $47,000 on beers for fans. The tabs included over $16,000 in gratuity, as Lester tipped 34 percent, his uniform number.

Thanks for coming out this weekend y’all! Yesterday we added 1,372 ⁦@MillerLites⁩ to my tab, bringing our grand total to 4,838. Shout out to all the bars, their staff, and those cheers-ing from afar! Whether this is goodbye or see you next year, I love you Chicago! #JonsTab pic.twitter.com/OTEIO2gOjc

— Jon Lester (@JLester34) November 2, 2020

The Cubs declined Lester’s $25 million option over the weekend, which was expected. Both sides have said they could reach a new deal for less money, but it’s far from a guarantee. That helped inspire Lester’s decision to pay for a possible parting gift.

The Cubs are facing a significant offseason with the futures of key players in flux. If Lester departs, it may mark the end of an era for the franchise.