Phillies Trade Cole Hamels to Rangers

The Philadelphia Phillies traded ace lefthander Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.

Along with Hamels, the Rangers received lefthander Jake Diekman and cash in exchange for lefthander Matt Harrison and two highly-rated minor league prospects, catcher Jorge Alfaro and outfielder Nick Williams, as well as Alec Asher and Jerad Eickhoff from the Phillies farm system.

Hamels, who fired a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs in his last start in Philadelphia, flirts with .500 with a 6–7 record in 2015, with a 3.64 ERA and 1.181 WHIP, whiffing 137 batters in 128 2/3 innings. The three-time All-Star boasts a career record of 114–90 with a 3.30 ERA, 1,844 strikeouts, and 492 walks in 1,930 innings. A workhorse for the Phillies, he has made at least 28 starts each of the past eight years.

Hamels had rejected an offer from the Houston Astros, using his no-trade rights, according to USA Today; trade rumors involving the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Giants abounded.

Hamels is currently signed to a seven-year, $159 million deal with the Phillies, who will pay some of the remaining $75 million of his contract.

Boasting Hamels, Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, and Martin Perez, the injury-plagued Rangers expect to return soon to the Cliff Lee-era of a stronger pitching staff. At 48-52 and eight games out in the West, the Rangers appear a long shot to make a playoff run, making Hamels’ landing spot after a decade in Philadelphia unexpected.