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On Friday, the same day it was reported that Shane Greene had been demoted to Triple-A Toledo, rumors began to surface that the Detroit Tigers may be entertaining the thought of trading for another starting pitcher. Aside from David Price and Alfredo Simon, the Tigers’ rotation has been quite shaky this year, so the news did not come as much of a surprise.
Of course, it is still quite possible that Justin Verlander could provide the needed boost, but it would be hard to fault the Tigers for thinking about a plan B. It is not exactly clear who they may or may not have on their wishlist at this point, but Scott Kazmir, Johnny Cueto and Cole Hamels are three of the biggest names rumored to be on the trading block right now. While it may feel like a longshot, Hamels may actually make the most sense for the Tigers.
It is certainly worth noting, however, that the Philadelphia Phillies ace has a limited no-trade clause, and the Tigers were not one of the nine teams to which he could be traded to as of last October. However, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported that Hamels was in the process of updating his list at the time. It is still unclear whether or not he would accept a trade to come to Detroit, but if so, he could have a chance to win again. The 2008 World Series MVP would also give the Tigers a proven winner and another workhorse.
Between 2010-2014, Hamels threw over 200 innings each year while going 60-49 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He is 5-5 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP so far in 2015.
While Kazmir and Cueto are set to become free agents this winter and may only be rentals, the Tigers would have the luxury of retaining Hamels’ services beyond this season. According to Baseball-Reference.com, he is signed through 2018 at a cost of $23.5 million annually, and there is a $20 million team or $24 million vesting option for 2019. Considering the price of an ace these days, one could argue that Hamels’ contract is actually fairly reasonable. It has also been reported that the Phillies may be willing to eat some of his salary.
The biggest obstacle in trying to acquire Hamels may very well be the issue of what he would cost in terms of talent. The Tigers don’t exactly have the strongest farm system, and many have questioned whether or not they would have the pieces to get the job done.
Admittedly, the stars would certainly have to line up in order for Detroit to pull off a Hamels trade, but it would be worth a try. Not only could he help the team this year, Hamels would give the Tigers an excellent security net if it turns out that they are unable to re-sign Price.
Brad Faber is a Senior Writer and Sabermetrics Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Brad_Faber, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on LinkedIn or Google.
