The Cole Hamels trade rumors aren’t going away anytime soon, especially given the recent pitching struggles of the Boston Red Sox.
The Red Sox lost again Tuesday night after a disastrous start from right-hander Clay Buchholz. The Boston rotation has been one of the worst in baseball to start the season, and at some point it might make sense for the Sox to look into options outside the organization.
The obvious starting point would seem to be Hamels, as the left-hander was connected with the Red Sox in trade rumors all offseason. However, the Phillies have been asking a lot for the veteran southpaw, and Boston reportedly won’t budge on including prospects like Blake Swihart or Mookie Betts in order to land Hamels.
There could be an emerging option, though. The Philadelphia Daily News reports the Phillies will send Charlie Manuel to scout the Red Sox’s High-A club in Salem, Va., this week. Manuel and the Phillies could be fixated on Red Sox outfield prospect Manuel Margot. The 20-year-old is considered a top 100 prospect by multiple outlets and opened eyes after a strong 2014 season. Margot is off to a fine start this season, too, hitting .344 with a home run and seven RBIs in 16 games.
The Philadelphia Daily News suggests the Red Sox still make the most sense when it comes to trading partners for the Phillies.
“It’s no secret that the Phillies covet 23-year-old catcher Blake Swihart, but the amount of time they have spent covering the Red Sox’ system suggests that they are considering the preparation of something other than a take-it-or-leave-it offer for Boston’s top prospect,” the Daily News’ David Murphy wrote Wednesday morning.
Adding Hamels — or any established starter, really — should help the Boston rotation. After Buchholz allowed four earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings Tuesday night versus Toronto, Red Sox starters now have a 6.03 ERA, ranked dead-last in the major leagues.
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