Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels hasn’t technically requested a trade from the team, but it’s rather evident that he wants to move on this offseason.
According to USA Today baseball insider Bob Nightengale, Hamels is not happy with the direction of the franchise four years after he signed a six-year, $144 million extension with the team. At that point, Hamels figured the Phillies would be in the thick of the playoff conversation on a consistent basis.
That simply hasn’t been the case in recent seasons.
At nearly 31 years old, Hamel wants to join a team that has a better chance of contention.
As Nightengale states, Hamels won’t complain or demand a trade. Rather, it’s a working understanding within the front office that he would rather move on at this point.
With $100 million remaining on his deal, Hamels won’t be easy to trade. There are a limited number of teams out there that can afford his contract from a financial perspective. That list gets even smaller when you take into account the type of bounty Philadelphia is said to be requesting for the ace pitcher.
The Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers have all been linked to Hamels in the past.
Photo: USA Today