Phillies: Biggest Do’s and Don’t’s at the Trade Deadline

Do: Find a way to reunite with Cole Hamels

Phillies fans don’t need another rundown on Cole Hamels. The 37-year-old left-handed pitcher is still beloved in Philadelphia.

For Hamels, 114 of his 163 career victories came in red pinstripes, his name is synonymous with the 2008 World Series – for which he was the MPV – and he was a major piece of the best rotation in franchise history.  He’s also currently a free agent and a reunion with the team who drafted him should be in order.

After stints with the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs, Hamels signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2020. The season didn’t play out the way he was hoping, and injuries limited him to just a single start and 3.1 innings.

Hamels recently held a showcase for twenty interested teams and figures to sign at some point in the coming weeks. Whenever Hamels does end up signing, it’s important to remember that he won’t be ready to just step into a rotation right away. He still needs to build his arm up and go through his own spring training-like process in order for him to toss major league innings.

A reunion between Cole Hamels and the Phillies isn’t just about nostalgia

Once Hamels is ready to go through, he could fill a major hole on the Phillies’ roster. Right now this team is in desperate need of a competent backend starter. Vince Velasquez has continued to flash potential but has overwhelmingly ranged from inconsistent to terrible. Meanwhile, the revolving door of Spencer Howard, Matt Moore, and Chase Anderson has been woefully ineffective for the Phillies.

Any potential Hamels deal isn’t just about nostalgia either. This team needs to find someone who can eat up innings and rack up quality starts down the stretch. Hamels should certainly be able to do that once he’s ready to take the mound. Plus as a left-hander, he adds something different to a rotation that has started a southpaw in just seven games this season.

Oh, and the best thing about a Hamels reunion? Since he’s a free agent, signing him wouldn’t cost the Phillies anything by way of prospects. If they can make an impact signing without needing to further tap their already shallow well of a farm system, then it’s the best of both worlds.

Hamels was seen in the Philadelphia area not long after his showcase. Are negotiations currently underway to bring the fan-favorite back to Philadelphia? It’s possible, and Dave Dombrowski recently confirmed that the Phillies are in fact interested in a reunion, though he wasn’t sure how this might play out.