PHOENIX – Free-agent pitcher Jon Lester will meet with the Chicago Cubs in Chicago sometime next week, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Lester, 30, is one of the top free-agent pitchers on the market and has been linked to the Cubs for a while. He pitched for the Boston Red Sox while Cubs president Theo Epstein was the general manager there last decade. Lester went 16-11 with a 2.46 ERA split between the Red Sox and Oakland Athletics last season. His midyear trade means a team does not have to give up a draft pick to sign the four-time All-Star.

“They always treated me with the utmost respect and class,” Lester said over the summer of Epstein and his assistants. “I have nothing but good things to say about them. If you’re in that position you do your homework. Obviously there’s the familiarity with those [Epstein] guys.”

Lester’s agents have been meeting with teams this week during the general managers meetings, and ESPNBoston.com reports the pitcher will sit down with Red Sox ownership possibly by the end of the week. Lester is expected to command upwards of $20 million per season.