By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It has been almost three years since the Philadelphia Phillies dealt 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers in the eight-player transaction that landed three players currently on their major league roster: catcher Jorge Alfaro, right-hander Jerad Eickhoff and outfielder Nick Williams.
Despite sharing the spotlight in red pinstripes at the heyday of the last Phillies postseason window — alongside fellow aces in Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt — Hamels truly was the club's only "home-grown" ace in the Citizens Bank Park era leading up to his July 31, 2015, trade. With a few more good seasons, Aaron Nola would make a strong case to join Hamels in that regard.
Hamels, 34, was stellar in the remaining months of the 2015 season as a Ranger, going 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts. In his 74 starts since, however, the 13-year veteran southpaw is 30-19 with a 3.83 ERA. This season overall, Hamels has posted a career high WHIP (1.359) and HR9 (1.8), as well as a career second-highest ERA (4.28). Hamels has surrendered 14 runs — 10 earned — in his last two starts. He retired just two batters on 41 pitches in his most recent outing on July 7 against the underwhelming Detroit Tigers.
The San Diego, California, native is not quite the same pitcher he was as a Phillie.
Nonetheless, it appears Hamels would not mind returning to his days throwing off the mound at Citizens Bank Park in a home uniform. Fancred's Jon Heyman reports Hamels would "absolutely love" to rejoin the organization which drafted him 17th overall in the 2002 amateur draft, per "people close to him."
Heyman first reported on July 3 that there is "some chatter" about Hamels returning to the Phillies via trade with the Rangers. At the time, Heyman noted it was "early," and that he was "unsure how serious the chatter is."
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It is not quite early anymore. Less than three weeks remain until the non-waiver trade deadline, and the American League West-worst Rangers would probably like to shed some salary commitments off their payroll and look to retool for 2019 and beyond.
Hamels is earning $23 million in 2018, and has a $20 million club option or $6 million buyout for next season. The four-time All-Star has a no-trade clause, allowing him to veto a deal to 20 teams.
The Phillies, obviously, are not one of them.
