Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino confirmed Thursday morning that the team and Jon Lester have agreed to table contract negotiations until after the season.

"It's done in part out of respect for Jon Lester and his desire to postpone this until after the season," Lucchino told WEEI. "He's on an extraordinary roll. His last five or six games, his ERA is I don't know, 0.90 or something like that.

"He's leading this team, leading the rotation, and his very strong preference ... was not to have his family and himself distracted and focused on something other than pitching and winning baseball games."

Red Sox owner John Henry made a similar proclamation Wednesday night in an email to the Boston Herald.

Lester told the Boston Globe on Thursday that the postponement of the contract talks won't impact his desire to stay with the Red Sox -- even for a relative discount.

"Doesn't mean anything," Lester said told the Globe. "There's been plenty of guys who have taken less to come back. Mikey Lowell had more years and money with the Phillies, and he came back. It's not the end-all for everybody. I've expressed to them I want to be here."