OAKLAND, Calif. Stitched China Jerseys . -- Billy Beane considers Jon Lester a proven ace who can carry a pitching staff through the playoffs, just like he did last fall. The general manager acquired Lester to make sure Oakland gets there first. The baseball-leading, small-budget As won the mighty Lester sweepstakes Thursday, acquiring the left-hander and outfielder Jonny Gomes from the Boston Red Sox for slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. "Once again players like this really dont come along too often," Beane said. "When you get a guy whos a legitimate No. 1 starter in the middle of the season and we currently sit in first place, were excited. ... Theres no looking ahead. The way the playoff system is now, you want to win the division." Oakland, with the best record in baseball at 66-41, also received cash from Boston in another blockbuster deal by Beane. The Red Sox also receive a draft pick. "I believe that the deliberations leading to the two trades we did today were deeply analyzed, thoughtful and value-added," As owner Lew Wolff said in an email. "The best trades are when all parties have potential benefits, and what Billy accomplished is an example of such a win-win. The calls I have received from other owners were very complimentary." Lester is 10-7 with a career-best 2.52 ERA in 21 starts in another outstanding season. He has allowed seven earned runs in his last eight games with 54 strikeouts and nine walks. But the Red Sox put him on the trading block because he can become a free agent after the season -- and Beane isnt ready to commit to re-signing the lefty. Lester, 30, was sought by many teams, including Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The three-time All-Star originally was scheduled to start Wednesday night for the slumping Red Sox, who instead scratched Lester ahead of Thursdays non-waiver trade deadline. After winning their third World Series in 10 seasons last year, with Lester getting two of the four wins with a 0.59 ERA against St. Louis, the Red Sox are last in the AL East with a 48-60 record. They had Thursday off after losing for the eighth time in nine games to drop 13 games behind first-place Baltimore. While the Red Sox look to next season, the As are determined to take the next step after losing in each of the past two Octobers in five-game division series to Detroit. Oakland was off Thursday before returning home to begin a weekend series with Kansas City on Friday night. Lester is scheduled to start Saturdays game against the Royals. "Well I am awake," Friday starter Sonny Gray posted on Twitter when the trade news broke early Thursday. Oakland later sent lefty Tommy Milone to the Twins for outfielder Sam Fuld, who will help fill a void in centre field with Coco Crisp and Craig Gentry sidelined. Beane believes in starting pitching depth, and the As sure have it. Lester joins Gray (12-3), Scott Kazmir (12-3) and recently acquired Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, obtained in a July 4 trade with the Chicago Cubs. Gomes, a fan favourite who grew up in nearby Petaluma, provides a veteran presence who was invaluable during the As run to the AL West title in 2012. He also was a respected clubhouse leader in Boston, which signed him as a free agent before last season. He is hitting .234 with six homers and 32 RBIs in 78 games. For Boston, this marks another big move of a starting pitcher to the Bay Area after Jake Peavy was traded to San Francisco on Saturday for two pitching prospects. The Red Sox traded John Lackey to St. Louis later Thursday. The 28-year-old Cespedes won the past two Home Run Derby titles at the All-Star game. The Cuban left fielder is in the third season of a $36 million, four-year contract he signed before spring training 2012. Cespedes is batting .256 with 17 homers and 67 RBIs. "Hes a tremendous talent, weve had a tremendous amount of success since hes been here," Beane said. "It is difficult. But if youre going to separate yourself from everybody else and try to get a player like Lester, you have to do something thats unique." Speculation had centred on the Red Sox seeking prospects to add to their already deep farm system. That would have given them more young players to use in another deal for an established player, possibly a power-hitting outfielder. They got that in Cespedes, whose 17 homers is the exact number hit this season by the nine Red Sox players who spent time in the outfield. And Gomes six were the most. Lester has said leaving the Red Sox doesnt rule out a return to the team next season. He had said he would take a hometown discount to stay in Boston, but the teams four-year, $70 million offer in spring training fell far short of what he could get on the open market. Lester leaves his only pro baseball organization. The Red Sox drafted him in the second round in 2002. He made his major league debut June 10, 2006, and got a no-decision in a 7-4 loss to Texas. In his nine major league seasons, Lester is 110-63 with a 3.64 ERA. Hes also a proven post-season star with a 3-0 record in his two World Series. He pitched 5 2-3 shutout innings against the Colorado Rockies in the clinching fourth game in 2007. "In Lesters case, were also dealing with a guy whos one of the best at his position in the game," Beane said, "and has been for a long time. It was just too good an opportunity to pass up." China Jerseys 2020 . TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted that its believed the Flames are working towards a new contract with the defenceman. China Jerseys Review . Watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. Serge Ibaka returned to the Thunder lineup from a calf injury that was supposed to sideline him for the remainder of the postseason and the results were sparkling. https://www.chinajerseysreview.com/ . You can watch coverage on TSN, TSN2 and CTV beginning today at 3pm et/Noon pt. The championships will feature approximately 250 of Canadas best figure skaters in senior, junior and novice as they vie for spots on the national team, international assignments and will act as the final step in the 2014 Olympic qualification process. MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Love had just finished carrying his Minnesota Timberwolves over .500 for the first time since Nov. 23, playing the entire second half and over 43 minutes to make it happen. So naturally, he hit the weight room after the game. Without his Bruise Brother Nikola Pekovic by his side for at least another week, Love knows hes going to be tested like he rarely has before. Love had 30 points and 14 rebounds to help the Timberwolves grind out an 88-77 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. "I was a little upset with myself with some of the shots I took that I felt like I couldve made," said Love was of 11 of 26 and 1 for 6 on 3-pointers. "The ball didnt feel great tonight. Thats the way it goes sometimes. If I can do that and we can win without Pek, thats a good sign." Kevin Martin added 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting and six boards for the Timberwolves (23-22) in their first game without Pekovic, who is expected to miss at least a week with bursitis in his right ankle. They still managed to get over .500 after failing in their previous 10 chances to do so. Al-Farouq Aminu had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans, who were missing star forward Anthony Davis with a dislocated left index finger. They shot 35 per cent and managed a season-low 35 points in the first half to snap a three-game winning streak. Davis was injured in the victory over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night, but coach Monty Williams said he was playing it safe with his franchise player and expected him to return on Saturday against Chicago. "He can knock down the mid-range shot down so a lot of their bigs were in the paint just helping and we had to go up against a big every time," said Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans, who had 11 points on 4-for-15 shooting. "So it was pretty tough." In an ugly game for both teams, the Pelicans managed to hang around and trailed by five heading into the fourth. But Love, who played the entire second half, scored six straight points during an 8-0 burst to oopen the quarter and help the Wolves win for the fifth time in six games. Cheap China Jerseys. "With Pek out, we really have to find a way to relieve the pressure off (Love), move him around and stuff," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said. "We know teams are going to come at him. ... So we have to find ways to figure it out." Both teams looked lost without their lynch pins in the paint in the first half. The Pelicans, who also are missing Jrue Holiday and Ryan Anderson, hovered around 25 per cent shooting for most of the first quarter and were still at 30 per cent late into the third quarter against a Wolves defence that has been among the worst in the league from a field goal percentage basis. Without Pekovic commanding double teams and bulling his way to the basket, the Wolves have had to focus more on the defensive end. That left Love to go to work on the offensive end, and he was more aggressive looking for his shot than he has been with the big fella next to him in the frontcourt. In his first game at home since he was voted in as an All-Star starter for the Western Conference, Love came out firing, taking nine shots and attacking the glass. And when point guard Ricky Rubio went to the bench early in the third quarter with four fouls, Love started distributing more, picking up five assists to help the Wolves push back against the plucky Pelicans. "I know some of our guys are a bit overwhelmed with trying to play at a high level, but we had our chances," New Orleans coach Monty Williams said. "This is when you have to step up and we just didnt do it tonight. That happens." NOTES: Eric Gordon scored 14 on 5 for 17 shooting for New Orleans. ... Before the game started, Love grabbed the mic and thanked the Wolves fans for voting him as a starter in the All-Star game. He posted his NBA-leading 27th game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. ... Greg Stiemsma started in place of Davis and finished with three points and 12 rebounds and has grabbed at least 10 boards in two straight games. ' ' '