Phillies to attend Cole Hamels pitching showcase on Friday

A reunion six years in the making. According to reports, former Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels will be pitching at his showcase this Friday in Texas, and the Phillies will be in attendance. Cole was with the Atlanta Braves this past season but is currently not on a Phillies roster. While this is a nice reunion for nostalgia’s sake, it is also a logistical fit with Philadelphia desperately needing pitching help.
Cole Hamels last pitched for the Phillies back in 2015 before being moved to the Texas Rangers. He spent ten seasons with the franchise, being named to three All-Stars and, of course, winning the 2008 World Series MVP. Philadelphia won’t be the only team there to watch, though. Both the New York Yankees and Mets will be there to watch Hamels as well.
Most recently, Hamels pitched just 3.1 innings for the Atlanta Braves in 2020. In 2019, he pitched well as a member of the Chicago Cubs, making 27 starts with a 3.81 ERA.
The Phillies have managed to get a handful of decent starts from both Matt Moore and Vincent Velasquez but adding a veteran like Hamels certainly couldn’t hurt. Pitching depth continues to be an issue, both in the rotation and in the bullpen. If the Phillies can make a move on Hamels and get a home town discount, they absolutely should jump on it.
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[…] Philadelphia Phillies’ chances to bring back Cole Hamels have come to an end. Jon Heyman reported today that Hamels plans on signing with the Los Angeles […]