Philadelphia Phillies legend Cole Hamels officially retired as a Phillie on June 21 during a first-class ceremony at Citizens Bank Park.
Just how good was Hamels throughout his 15-year career?
The former first-round pick in 2002 made his major league debut against the Cincinnati Reds in 2006 at 22 years old, tossing five scoreless innings in which he recorded seven strikeouts and only allowed one hit. Hamels finished his first MLB season with a 9-8 record and a 4.08 ERA.
The left-hander went on to follow that season with a 15-5 record and a 3.39 ERA, earning his first career All-Star appearance and finishing sixth in the NL Cy Young race. The rest is history.
Former Phillies ace Cole Hamels' Hall of Fame case receives early support
Hamels pitched his last game in 2020 with the Atlanta Braves at the age of 36, but he didn’t officially retire until 2023. Players aren’t eligible for the Hall of Fame until five full seasons have passed since they last played. The four-time All-Star will first be eligible on the 2026 ballot and has made a legit case to be enshrined in Cooperstown forever.
“He was steady, dependable, and I’d even add in all the postseason which should go into the consideration,” MLB Network’s Brian Kenny recently said about Hamels’ Hall of Fame potential.
The #MLBTonight panel reacts to Cole Hamels retiring as a Phillie and discusses his potential Hall of Fame ballot run.@Phillies | #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/Y5v0zK10Rn
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 21, 2024
Hamels was a dominant postseason pitcher during his time with the Phillies, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs. He owns a 7-6 career postseason record and a 3.41 ERA in 17 appearances with 93 strikeouts. Hamels was particularly dominant in the Phillies’ 2008 postseason run in which he earned both NLCS MVP and World Series MVP honors en route to the Phillies’ first World Series Championship since 1980.
There’s no doubt how much Hamels meant to the city of Philadelphia, his former teammates and coaches, the fans and the players that came after him. Phillies outfielder David Dahl switched his number from 35 to 31 out of respect for Hamels prior to his retirement ceremony.
The 40-year-old gave Phillies fans countless memories during his 10-year career with the team, including a no-hitter in his final game as a Phillie against the Cubs in 2015 before he was traded to the Rangers.
He finished his illustrious career with a 163-122 record, 3.43 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 2,560 strikeouts in 2,698 innings. He tossed 17 complete games, with seven shutouts and eclipsed the 200-inning mark eight times.
Don’t be surprised to see Hamels in the Hall of Fame one day.