Offseason preview: Five big-name Red Sox trade targets
By Joe Meehan
Sep 7, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Cole Hamels(35) throws during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit:
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Hamels has been excellent this season for Philadelphia, posting an 8-7 record to go with a 2.56 ERA. It’s the classic case of an excellent pitcher on a bad team.
Hamels has been durable, missing only a few starts early this season to a shoulder injury that has had no lingering effects. He’s one of the few players the Phillies can use as a rebuilding chip, as his contract isn’t an albatross like those of Ryan Howard or Cliff Lee. With only four years and just under $100 million remaining on his deal, Hamels falls in the range of what the Red Sox would have liked to give to Jon Lester.
Potential deal: Anthony Ranaudo, Garin Cecchini, Brian Johnson for Hamels
The return could be more here in terms of higher rated prospects, but the Sox are helping the Phillies get out from under a large contract, so that could factor into the pieces of the deal. They’d still be getting two major league starters and a potential starter at the hot corner.