With the trade deadline looming just days away, the rumors swirling around Phillies ace Cole Hamels have heated up to the max. On Monday, we learned that not only were the Dodgers and the Rangers involved in discussions with the Phils about Cole, but also the Diamondbacks and the Astros, both of whom Hamels can block a trade to if he wanted.
With the day just beginning, the Hamels talk hasn't stopped one bit. If anything, things are getting more interesting by the hour. While it seemed as if the Dodgers and Rangers were the most likely to land Cole, it seems as if another NL West team is joining those two teams atop the Hamels sweepstakes.
Sources: #SFGiants making strong push for #Phillies’ Hamels. Nearly $50M coming off Giants’ payroll at end of season.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 28, 2015
Sources say Rangers, Dodgers still in lead for Hamels. But Giants moving up. They can afford Hamels' contract.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) July 28, 2015
Though the Giants, who are on Cole's no-trade list, can afford the remaining salary on his contract, can they put together a good enough prospect package to sway Ruben Amaro Jr. to deal the left-hander?
Currently, the Giants top five prospects, as ranked by Baseball America, include four right-handed pitchers and a catcher. There are only two position players at the bottom of their top 10 list and they are middle infielders, something the Phils don't necessarily need with J.P. Crawford in the wings and Cesar Hernandez playing well. In the end, the Giants prospects aren't too appealing for the Phillies, who are in desperate need of some power bats in their system, something the Rangers have over both the Dodgers and Giants.
If Cole Hamels is still a Phillie come Thursday, he'll start at Citizens Bank Park, but it just seems like a matter of time before the trigger is pulled and Philadelphia becomes ace-less.
