Cole Hamels hasn’t done much winning in recent years, and he wants that to change soon.
It’s becoming more and more evident that change isn’t going to come with the Philadelphia Phillies, which is a big reason why the left-handed pitcher has been the subject of trade rumors for a long time. Wherever Hamels is on Opening Day, one thing is clear: he wants to be in a position to win.
“As close (to perfect) as I would like would be to go to a team that wants to win,” Hamels said Sunday night on MLB Network Radio, according to Philly.com. “… Whenever you’re in the postseason, that’s what you play the game for.”
Hamels, who won the World Series MVP in 2008 with the Phils, hasn’t seen the postseason since 2011 when the Phillies got eliminated in the divisional series. The Phillies now appear to be in rebuilding mode, right in the middle of Hamels’ prime.
“It’s unfortunate, but all great teams have that season or drought for a couple of years and then they start to rebuild,” Hamels said, according to Philly.com. “I know I’m young enough to be able to go out there and play, and I love playing in the city of Philadelphia. Nothing but the best. The fans have been great; the organization has been great to me. But I do understand that baseball is a game that will go on, even after I’m done playing.
“So you have to put that in perspective and not really be too down about it. It’s something, where if it does happen, I completely understand. Hopefully there will be a time when I can come back before my career is over. But, at the same time, it’s a business. It’s baseball.”
Hamels is still a very attractive option for teams who want to win right now. He’ll be 31 on Opening Day and still has four years and almost $100Â million left on his contract with an option for a fifth year. Hamels also has a limited no-trade clause, which could be waived in order to have his option picked up.
The San Diego native went 9-9 with a career-best 2.46 ERA in 30 starts for Philly last season.
Thumbnail photo via Ed Szczepanski/USA TODAY Sports Images
