The Boston Red Sox are trying to make a move to acquire ace starting pitcher Cole Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cole Hamels has been one of the biggest names dangled in trade talks for the past couple seasons, and that was the case once again both this past offseason and now. The season is getting ready to kick into gear, but the Boston Red Sox are still trying to make a move to bolster their rotation. Hamels has been the Philadelphia Phillies’ ace pitcher for quite a few years, but they are willing to give him up at the right price.
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According to a report from the Boston Globe, the Red Sox have made a trade offer for Hamels.
As of right now, the Red Sox are projected to put out a fairly solid rotation that simply doesn’t have an ace. Rick Porcello, Wade Miley, Clay Bucholz, Justin Masterson, and Joe Kelly are all solid players, but adding Hamels would be the missing piece that they need.
Last year, Hamels put together a very nice all-around season. He finished the year with a 9-9 record to go along with a 2.46 ERA and 198 strikeouts. There is some concern about his age, but at 31 years-old he still has a few good years of baseball left in him.
If the Phillies are going to give up Hamels in a trade, they are going to want multiple good prospects in return. They are looking to build their farm system up again, and Hamels is the one piece that could make a dent in that process by himself. Philadelphia seems very likely to trade him at some point soon, and if they don’t trade him before the season his name will come up once again at the trade deadline.
Boston needs to find a way to pry Hamels away from the Phillies. He is a perfect fit for their current needs, and could work with the rest of the pitching staff to help improve them.
Not only would he be a good pickup now, he is also under contract through the 2019 season. The Red Sox would have their ace for years to come, and he will more than likely be pitching at a high level through the end of his current deal.
Don’t be surprised to see the Red Sox get more aggressive in the Hamels talks if something doesn’t happen in the next few weeks. They know that they’ll need another pitcher if they want to compete for a championship this year, and Ben Cherington will make sure that gets done at some point.
H/T Boston Globe
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