New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman could be looking to fortify his starting rotation before the July 30 trade deadline. But there’s a move he can make right now which won’t cost him a thing: sign free-agent left-hander Cole Hamels. The southpaw held a showcase Friday in Texas for nearly two dozen teams, including the Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.
FanSided’s Robert Murray reports “a number of teams are already expressing interest, according to major-league sources. Hamels, 37, hopes to sign with a contender quickly, though he will need about a month to ramp up before he can return to a major-league mound. One National League executive in attendance came away impressed, noting that his fastball touched 90 mph while his secondary pitches had good bite and inconsistent command.”
Last month, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported Hamels “continues to throw off a mound and is building up every day … Potentially, a big-time midseason pickup.”
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There’s no doubt the Hamels is past his prime. He pitched in just one game last season for the Atlanta Braves before being shut down with a shoulder injury.
But if Hamels is fully healed, he could be a nice piece for the back end of the rotation. Remember, Hamels is a proven winner. The four-time All-Star was MVP of the National League Championship Series and and the World Series for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.
The Phillies traded Hamels to the Texas Rangers in 2015, who traded him to the Chicago Cubs in 2018.
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