Giants visit Jon Lester in Atlanta

SAN FRANCISCO - Having lost Pablo Sandoval, the Giants have turned their attention to the pitching market.

Members of the organization visited free-agent starting pitcher Jon Lester in Atlanta on Monday, and according to a report by CSN Bay Area, the traveling party included manager Bruce Bochy.

The Giants generally don’t get involved with expensive free agent pitchers, but they intend to increase their payroll next season and spend the money - approximately $20 million per year - that they had planned on using on Sandoval, who chose to sign with the Boston Red Sox last week.

The Giants were also said to have come in second in the bidding for Cuban slugger Yasmany Tomas, who was one of the last remaining impact hitters on a market flooded with pitching. Tomas agreed to a six-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lester, 30, went 16-11 with a 2.46 ERA while pitching for the Red Sox and A’s last season. He was sent to the A’s at the trade deadline but failed to get the club past the wild-card game.

Despite his performance with the A’s in the playoffs, Lester is one of the best postseason performers of the past decade. Since 2007, Lester has a 6-4 record, a 2.57 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP in 14 postseason appearances, including 12 starts.

The left-hander is one of the most durable starters in the game, having made at least 31 starts in each of the past seven seasons. He would be a needed addition to the Giants, who have serious question marks in their rotation.

Lester is being pursued by big-market clubs such as the Red Sox and Cubs. According to a report by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Cubs’ bid for Lester is $138 million over six years and the Red Sox have expressed a willingness to go to $130 million over six years. The Atlanta Braves, Lester’s current hometown team, said Monday night they would not try to sign him.

Other teams to have been linked to Lester are the Blue Jays, Cardinals and Royals.