As he enters the twilight of his MLB career, Cole Hamels could be headed back to where it all began.
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported on Tuesday that he has heard chatter about a possible reunion between Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies. While Heyman does say that it is unclear how serious the chatter is, he notes that the Phillies love Hamels, that Hamels obviously loved his time with them, and that he has a home in the Philadelphia area.
The left-hander Hamels, 34, was drafted by the Phillies out of high school in 2002 and played his first ten big-league seasons there from 2006 to 2015. He became a beloved Phillie, earning three All-Star nods with them and factoring heavily into their last title in 2008 where he won World Series MVP.
For Hamels, who is owed $22.5 million this season with a $20 million team option for next, trade rumors have heated up in recent days. Some have even voiced the opinion that he could be traded within the next couple weeks.
Hamels’ Texas Rangers are going nowhere this season, and the Phillies, who have a deep pool of young talent to dip into, have a real very chance of making it to the postseason for the first time since 2011. Thus, a reunion here could make sense beyond just the warm, fuzzy feelings.
