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MLB Trade Rumors: Should the Houston Astros acquire Cole Hamels?

By Josh Criswell

Aug 15, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels (35) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 15, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels (35) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Houston Astros are playing their best baseball in years, but is a trade for a proven ace like Cole Hamels necessary to put the team over the top? 

Aug 2, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of a Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 2, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of a Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

The Houston Astros very well could be the hottest team in Major League Baseball right now, even after the Texas Rangers ended their 10-game winning streak last night.

They also find themselves in quite a conundrum.

Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels is on the trade market, and the Astros have no choice but to consider making a move to acquire him.

Ever since the Chicago White Sox completely dismantled them during the 2005 World Series, the Astros have never been able to recover. They are currently in the midst of a decade-long playoff drought, but after years of being the laughing stock of the league, Houston owns the best record in the American League and the second best in all of baseball at 18-8.

Adding an ace like Hamels to a talented, young pitching rotation could just be the final move to necessary make the Astros a legitimate playoff contender. It could also tear down everything that the organization has done to get to this point.

The Astros brought in Jeff Lunhow as the team’s general manager in 2011, and since then the team has completely restocked a barren farm system. A trade for Cole Hamels would certainly mean parting ways with some of the most important pieces to their future.

Is the trade worth the cost for the Astros?

We take a look at why, and why not, it would be a smart move.

Next: Why the Astros should trade for Cole Hamels

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