Cubs Star Just Bought Fans a Lot of Beer

After the Chicago Cubs declined his $25 million option for next season, Jon Lester became a free agent after being with the team since 2015. His next move? Buy Cubs fans a beer—or more accurately, a lot of beers. "Regardless of what's next I want to thank the fans for the past 6 years," he tweeted Friday morning. "So this weekend (10.30-11.1) Im buying y’all my favorite beer." He suggested fans make a reservation at one of four local watering holes, "& your 1st @MillerLite is on me. Just tell em to put it on #JonsTab." On Sunday night, he updated: "Nice work Chicago! 2,771 @MillerLites & a fraud alert yesterday. So far y’all have put a total of 3,466 beers on my tab. Let’s finish strong today, and mask up damn it!"

USA Today adds up the receipts posted by Lester and notes that at that point he had spent $25,637.90, including generous gratuities, on beer for fans in the Windy City. A bar not included in his list even got involved, pledging to donate $1 from every Coors Lite or Miller Lite sold over the weekend to Lester's charity. And Miller Lite, of course, weighed in with a "Our kind of afternoon – thanks for making this happen!" Lester says he hopes to find a way to stay with the Cubs. (More uplifting news stories.)