The Philadelphia Phillies are in no rush to trade pitcher Cole Hamels.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledged Tuesday that the club could trade Hamels this offseason. However, Amaro isn’t banking on a deal unless Philadelphia receives the perfect haul in exchange for its ace.
“I think Cole Hamels is going to be in our uniform, frankly,” Amaro told Jake Kaplan of The Philadelphia Inquirer before an annual winter banquet hosted by the Phillies’ Double-A affiliate. “I don’t really foresee him being moved. It is possible because we’re literally keeping our minds and eyes and ears open on every player that we have on our roster.
“That said, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball. And so, if we were to move him, we’re going to have to get some of the best prospects in baseball back.”
Hamels has been the subject of trade rumors for quite a while, as the Phillies are in the midst of a rebuilding process after another disappointing season in 2014. Trading Hamels would be the easiest way for Philadelphia to obtain long-term assets capable of making an impact.
The sticking point seemingly is Philadelphia’s high demands. All indications are that the Phillies are seeking a king’s ransom in exchange for Hamels, and Amaro’s comments essentially confirmed that notion. Philadelphia might need to come down on its price to make a trade possible.
For now, it appears the Phillies are willing to keep Hamels, who has at least four years and $90 million remaining on his current contract.
“In fact, the ownership group I think would rather keep him than not,” Amaro said Tuesday. “But we have to be good listeners and I think we owe it to the franchise and the organization to listen on possible opportunities, and there have been some clubs that have been aggressive. Not aggressive enough, obviously, because we haven’t done anything.
“If I was going to handicap it, I would probably say that he’d be in our pinstripes on Opening Day and pitching against Boston.”
The staredowns continue.
Thumbnail photo via Howard Smith/USA TODAY Sports Images
