Sources: Phillies trade Cole Hamels to Texas Rangers
The Phillies agreed to a deal late Wednesday that would send Cole Hamels, the franchise's best homegrown pitcher since Robin Roberts, to the Texas Rangers, baseball sources confirmed to the Inquirer.
TORONTO - The Phillies agreed to a trade late Wednesday that would send Cole Hamels, the franchise's best homegrown pitcher since Robin Roberts, to the Texas Rangers, baseball sources confirmed.
Five prospects, including three of the Rangers' most touted, and 29-year-old lefthander Matt Harrison are coming to the Phillies in the deal, according to multiple reports. The Phillies are also reportedly sending lefthanded reliever Jake Diekman and cash to Texas.
Neither club announced the deal Wednesday night.
Righthander Jake Thompson, outfielder Nick Williams, and catcher Jorge Alfaro make up the centerpiece of the Phillies' reported return. Baseball America recently ranked them the Rangers' third-, fourth-, and fifth-best prospects.
Righthanders Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher are also reportedly coming to the Phillies' farm system. In addition to taking on Harrison's contract - the pitcher is owed $26 million over the following two seasons - the Phillies will send $9.5 million to the Rangers, according to FOX Sports.
Hamels, the MVP of Philadelphia's only major championship in the last 32 years, declined to comment after the Phillies' 8-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night at the Rogers Centre. News of the trade came just five days after the 31-year-old lefthander threw his first career no-hitter, on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. His departure means only Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Carlos Ruiz remain from the 2008 world championship team.
Thompson, 21, was regarded as the Rangers' top pitching prospect. Texas acquired him last July in the trade that sent closer Joakim Soria to the Detroit Tigers.
Williams, 21, is a left-handed-hitting outfielder who has spent most of his time in left field. Alfaro, 22, is one of baseball's top catching prospects but has been sidelined since June 10 with a potentially season-ending ankle injury.
The five minor leaguers play at the double-A or triple-A levels.
Williams was pulled from his game with double-A Frisco on Wednesday night. Eickhoff, 25, was pulled from his start at triple A after five shutout innings and only 59 pitches.
Asher is a 23-year-old righthander pitching in triple A.
Harrison, an all-star in 2012, has made only nine starts since 2012 because of multiple back surgeries. He returned to the Rangers rotation earlier this month and has since made three starts, most recently on Monday against the New York Yankees. He has a 6.75 ERA over 16 major league innings thus far in 2015.
Diekman, 28, is among the hardest-throwing lefthanders in the game but struggled this season to recapture the consistency he displayed during a breakout 2014 season.
The Rangers, who are 48-52 and in third place in the American League West, sought Hamels with an eye toward next season, when they are set to return Yu Darvish and Derek Holland to their rotation. Darvish, 28, underwent Tommy John surgery in March. Holland, 28, has been out since April with a shoulder injury but could return to the Rangers in August.
Hamels' 20-team no-trade clause did not include the Rangers, who in recent days emerged as the favorite to land the pitcher. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros were also said to be in the mix. According to USA TODAY, Hamels rejected a potential deal to the Astros, one of the teams covered under his no-trade clause.
The Phillies flew back to Philadelphia after Wednesday's loss and open a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night. For the first time since early in the 2006 season, they will be without Cole Hamels.
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