Rangers back in trade mix for Phillies pitcher Hamels
Maybe, as general manager Jon Daniels said, the uptick in phone calls and trade talk with other clubs Friday was nothing more than just the nature of business a week out from the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Maybe, as Daniels said, no proposals have advanced to the point where players or prospects are being summoned to the manager’s office to be told that they have been traded.
Maybe. But the Texas Rangers find themselves back in the hunt for Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who will come at a steep financial obligation and create a couple of significant holes in the Rangers’ farm system.
There is competition for Hamels with contending clubs that have just as many prospects and perhaps more budget wiggle room to add the left-hander. Daniels still hasn’t decided if the Rangers will make a realistic push for the postseason, and their series this weekend against the American League West leaders could impact his thinking.
Daniels, though, also has his eyes on 2016, when the starting rotation will have holes that need to be plugged, and the acquisition of Hamels or another starter who is controllable contractually could fill two needs: winning now and contending next season.
“It’s a mix,” Daniels said. “We’re realistic about where we are, but we still believe in the team. We’ve got a run in us.
“It’s not a fire sale. We’re open and listening, open to talking about deals that make us better in a combination of now and the future. Most of the players we’ve talked about acquiring are multi-year fits, most but not all. From an acquisition standpoint, it’s almost more of guys that could fit now but also could fit into a likely off-season plan.”
The third-place Rangers opened a three-game series Friday night against the first-place Los Angeles Angels 8 1/2 games back in the AL West. The Rangers were 5 1/2 games out of the second wild-card spot but with five teams ahead of them.
A major league source said that the Rangers have been more involved with the Phillies about Hamels, who will enter his start Saturday at 5-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 19 starts. The 31-year-old also has $76.5 million, plus the prorated amount of his 2015 salary of $23.5 million, remaining on a contract that runs through 2018.
He has a vesting option for 2019 worth $24 million if he logs 400 innings in 2017 and 2018 and doesn’t have an arm injury at the end of 2018. If the option doesn’t vest, it becomes a $20 million club option with a $6 million buyout.
As another source said, the Rangers will have to be wowed to make a move over the next week. In Hamels’ case, that would likely require the Phillies to pick up a chunk of his contract while settling for a package of players that doesn’t include prospects Joey Gallo or Nomar Mazara.
Hamels would join a 2016 rotation that could lose right-handers Yovani Gallardo and Colby Lewis to free agency and will be without Yu Darvish (Tommy John surgery) for at least the first month.
A rotation of Hamels, Darvish and lefties Derek Holland and Martin Perez would be formidable, with either Matt Harrison, Nick Martinez or Chi Chi Gonzalez as the fifth starter.
“There’s also a chance we’re boring and don’t do much,” Daniels said.
Daniels said that the Rangers aren’t close to dealing Gallardo, the Rangers’ top trade candidate, and the Fort Worth resident will make his scheduled start Saturday.
Keeping Gallardo has some appeal, too. He would help them in their playoff push and also be worth a compensatory draft choice if in the off-season he were to be made a qualifying offer, turn it down and sign with another team.
A lousy weekend at Angel Stadium, though, could push the Rangers closer to dealing Gallardo.
“It plays a role into it,” Daniels said. “You’re not going to make major decisions off a three-game series, but you have to take the standings into account.”
The Rangers have made a July trade each of the past five years, though in 2014 it was as a seller. Daniels has been joined this weekend by his top front-office lieutenants, including assistant GM Thad Levine, farm director Mike Daly and director of pro scouting Josh Boyd.
At the very least, the Rangers are taking a serious look at available players — not just pitchers — who would be with the team for more than just the rest of the season. Andrew Cashner, a former TCU star, falls into that group along with fellow San Diego right-hander James Shields, whom the Rangers met with in December before the winter meetings.
Hamels is leading the group, and the Rangers are back in the mix for the three-time All-Star.
“We’ve had conversations where it’s certainly possible we make a trade by the end of next week,” Daniels said. “But making a trade is not the goal. If it helps us now and going forward, we absolutely will.”
Jeff Wilson, 817-390-7760
This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 10:18 PM with the headline "Rangers back in trade mix for Phillies pitcher Hamels."