When the Chicago Cubs signed pitcher Jon Lester to a six-year, $155 million contract this offseason, it was only natural for the fanbase to expect the world from him right away. In the first half of the 2015 season, though, he was merely mediocre.

If recent trends continue, that could change in the second half of the season.

In 2013, as of July 8, Lester’s ERA sat at an unimpressive 4.60. By the end of the season, he had it down to a respectable 3.75. The change in 2014 was even more dramatic. He turned his 3.52 June 2 ERA into a 2.46 ERA by season’s end.

The moral of the story is that Lester struggles early and finishes strong. If Saturday night’s outing is a sign of things to come, the Cubs are in good shape.

In his first start of the second half, Lester went 7.1 innings, allowing no runs while taking a no-hitter into the eighth. He flat out dominated the Atlanta Braves‘ offense. Right in the thick of a playoff race, the Cubs are going to need more performances like this from Lester down the stretch. Lester is known for his ability to win big games, so the Cubs should expect nothing less.

Lester is following a similar trend to past seasons this year. On June 9, his ERA sat at 4.25 and now it’s back down to 3.37 after a couple of strong performances in a row. Look for more of that from the lefty down the stretch.

After agreeing to spend $155 million, the Cubs should get a return on their investment in the second half. If Lester leads them where they want to go, though, the investment will be priceless.