ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 26: Cole Hamels #35 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 26, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers are ready to start trading off veterans, and Cole Hamels is going to be the biggest name on their roster.
You know the season is off to a bad start when your team is already open for business, and it’s May 18. However, that’s exactly where the Texas Rangers are, sitting in last place of the ultra-competitive AL West with a record of 17-28, a full 11.5 games behind the Houston Astros.
According to multiple reports, the Rangers and general manager Jon Daniels are looking to trade off some of their veterans, likely including starting pitchers Cole Hamels, Bartolo Colon and Doug Fister.
Obviously Hamels is the big fish here. He does have a no-trade clause, but it’s not hard to envision a scenario where he waves it to go to a contending club. Hamels has this year and next season remaining on his contract, which includes $22 million in 2018 and a club option of $20 million in 2019 with a buyout of $6 million.
So which clubs could be interested in the veteran southpaw? The New York Yankees could certainly use another hurler, while the Los Angeles Dodgers might be intrigued if they can get off the proverbial mat. With the way the Philadelphia Phillies are playing, maybe they are an option for their former star.
Colon and Fister are both on cheap deals and could be had for very little. Colon is pitching quite well to this point, sporting a 2.82 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. The 45-year-old doesn’t give the appearance of an elite athlete, but he is still getting the job done. As for Fister, the right-hander has pitched 44.2 innings to the tune of a 3.43 ERA. Fister is also controlled for 2019 with a club option for $4.5 million.