MLB Trade Deadline 2015: 5 moves that must happen
The Cole Hamels trade rumors have been swirling around since the 2015 MLB season began. With the Phillies being 20 games out of playoff contention, it is only a matter of time before they part ways with the ace of their rotation.
Philadelphia may have hurt themselves by waiting too long before trading away Hamels, as his trade value has surely dropped in the past few months. The left-handed pitcher’s earned run average has jumped more than a run higher than the career-best 2.46 ERA he posted last season.
It should be noted, though, that he is also recording the most strikeouts per nine innings since his rookie season, and he is probably the best arm on the market besides Johnny Cueto.
For the Los Angeles Dodgers, adding Hamels to a rotation that already features Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw would easily give them the most feared pitching trio in the MLB. The Dodgers have lost Brandon McCarthy for the season, and injury troubles have given the team constant headaches at the back end of the rotation.
Much like adding Cueto would do for the Houston Astros, Hamels would give Los Angeles a potentially elite pitching staff. And with three of the most dominant starting pitchers in the game on their roster, the Dodgers would immediately become a favorite to win the World Series.