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After the Texas Rangers acquired 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies last July, many felt it was a move that was made with the future in mind. But over the final two months of the season, a funny thing happened: the Rangers ended up winning the AL West. The Rangers’ storybook season finally came to an end at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays, who won the ALDS matchup in five games.
During his time in a Rangers uniform, Hamels performed quite well. Over 12 starts, the now 32-year-old southpaw went 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He was also solid in the postseason, posting a 2.70 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP over two starts.
If the Rangers are to win their second consecutive AL West title, Hamels is clearly going to be a huge part of the puzzle. Hamels will be leading a rotation that also figures to feature Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Martin Perez and likely either Alex “Chi Chi” Gonzalez or Nick Martinez. Although there is plenty of talent in that group, there are a few question marks as well.
To put it simply, the Rangers are going to need Hamels to pitch like an ace — something he is more than capable of doing. Over his 10-year MLB career, he has gone 121-91 with a 3.31 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and a career ERA+ of 124. Any team would be lucky to have him at the top of their rotation.
Of course, the Rangers will also be getting a major boost with the return of Yu Darvish, who missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he is not expected to be ready for the beginning of the season. Once Darvish returns, he and Hamels could easily form one of the best 1-2 punches in the game. In the meantime, though, the Rangers will need Hamels to hold down the fort.
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