MLB trade rumors: Yankees losing Rangers’ Cole Hamels to Phillies?

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, 2018 (7/31/18). The starting pitchers availble on the trade market include Texas Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels, Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer, and Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is shopping for starting pitching before the deadline, with concerns over Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray.

The trade market for starting pitching before the July 31st non-waiver deadline is less than impressive. The best arm on the “weak” market could be that of Texas Rangers southpaw Cole Hamels.

Fancred’s Jon Heyman reports Hamels could be heading home:

Hearing some chatter about a Cole Hamels possible reunion with phillies. It’s early, and unsure how serious the chatter is. But they love him. He loved it there (obvs) and has a home there so presumably he’d approve. Has control with no-trade list covering two-thirds the teams)

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 3, 2018

Hamels began his career in Philadelphia. He was a key member of their 2008 World Series championship, earning NLCS and World Series MVP honors.

The Phillies traded Hamels to the Rangers in 2015. He left Philadelphia with a 114-90 record and a 3.30 ERA. His final start in a Phillies uniform was a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs.

Hamels has gone 37-19 with a 3.75 ERA for the Rangers. This season, he’s 4-7 with a 4.05 ERA in 17 starts.

9 immediate Yankees concerns

Among the best available starting pitchers, Hamels is perhaps the most expensive on the trade market as well. According to Spotrac, he’s making $22.5 million this season and has a $20 million option for 2019 with a $6 million buyout. Hamels also has a limited no-trade clause.

If teams are shy on spending that much for a 34-year-old lefty, they could also look at Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer and Toronto Blue Jays southpaw J.A. Happ.

The Yankees have been linked to all of the pitchers named above. General manager Brian Cashman has made it known he is shopping for starting pitching. Masahiro Tanaka is coming back from a pair of bum hamstrings. Jordan Montgomery is out for the season because of Tommy John surgery. Sonny Gray is at the best unreliable and at the worst a complete disaster.

Cashman has already said he has no plans to trade Gleyber Torres for pitching. He is also reluctant to use Clint Frazier to upgrade the starting rotation.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.