Cole Hamels has yet to catch on with a team in 2021, but he could land right in the middle of a pennant race.
Hamels put on a showcase for interested teams on Friday, and according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, 20 teams were in attendance. While it’s not clear which teams have the most interest, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been named as a possible landing spot.
ESPN’s Buster Olney suggested that the Dodgers make a lot of sense for Hamels. Olney said it would be a “shock” if the Dodgers didn’t at least explore the possibility due to Trevor Bauer’s ongoing legal investigation and Clayton Kershaw’s injury.
Cole Hamels was clocked at 88-90 mph in his workout for teams, and it would be a shock if the Dodgers aren't one of the interested teams. With Bauer situation, with Kershaw sidelined, LAD could sign him, build up his innings by late Aug./Sept., for stretch drive/October.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 17, 2021
Hamels was with the Atlanta Braves last year, but was limited to one start due to injury issues. His last healthy year came in 2019, when he posted a 3.81 ERA with the Chicago Cubs.
Hamels is 37, and if he’s barely touching 90, he’s going to have to be very crafty to get major league hitters out. That said, the Dodgers have had some success with another player that looked done prior to joining them, so maybe there’s something there for them.
