The Phillies are among the teams that will be in attendance for Cole Hamels’ workout on July 16 in Frisco, Texas, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the New York Yankees will also get a look at Hamels. Heyman also reports that the Mets will be there as well.
Hamels could be an intriguing deadline acquisition for a Phillies team that could use pitching. He pitched only 3 1/3 innings in all of 2020 after signing a one-year, $18 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.
When he’s healthy, Hamels has been a productive arm in recent years. He did have a stretch of games where he allowed only one earned run through four starts in his last full season with the Chicago Cubs. Overall, Hamels posted a 3.81 ERA in 141 2/3 innings in 2019.
Hamels is also a franchise icon who is one of the last remaining faces from the 2008 World Championship team. He won an NLCS and World Series MVP in that season and has a 3.30 ERA in 10 seasons with the Phillies. His very last outing before getting traded to the Texas Rangers was a no-hitter against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
A reunion with Hamels would be received positively by a fanbase that’s struggling to get behind the current Phillies squad. However, the front office won’t sign Hamels for the nostalgia trip alone. He could be a candidate to replace a struggling Vince Velasquez in the rotation if they think Hamels is a fit.
The Phillies, Yankees and Mets will not be the only teams in on Hamels as there are plenty of buyers around baseball looking for starting pitching. Teams will be attracted to the idea of inking Hamels since he’ll only cost money as opposed to money and prospects. The trade market will surely play a role in where Hamels goes and how much he gets.
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