The Philadelphia Phillies have a tremendous asset for this year's trade deadline, a left-handed ace named Cole Hamels who has pitched very well despite being on one of MLB's worst clubs for the past two seasons.
Hamels, who has a 5-6 record with a 3.26 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, has been linked to a number of teams this year, including the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros. Those teams were reportedly a no-go for Hamels, who has a no-trade clause, but Hamels says he is "open-minded" to all situations.
"I have not been approached. When I'm approached, then I can make a decision and provide an answer about a team," Hamels said. "But I'm open-minded on everybody and everything." When asked if that included Houston and Toronto, Hamels said "Yes. I've always been open-minded. I will think about everything."
The Astros are reportedly pursuing Hamels and Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto, and of the two Cueto has the better stats. He also did not exclude the Astros from a preseason list of acceptable trade destinations. Hamels, while saying he's open to the Astros, did not deny he wasn't going there before Opening Day.
"They just didn't make the nine-team list (of teams I would accept a deal to)," Hamels said of the Astros. "When I made the list in October, who knew?" The "who knew" portion is referring to Houston leading the American League Central and missing the memo that they were expected to remain doormats.
Whether it is Cueto or Hamels or another arm, Houston's players are expecting reinforcements to make their playoff run.
"(I'm hopeful for a trade based on) what we're doing right now and the position that we're in," ace Dallas Keuchel said. "Fully intend for the front office to make a move. And that's not like something that's a given; it's just that, I know that they want to win and it's a shared interest between the players and the front office.
"I just would assume we'll probably get a pitcher based on the fact that we're not going to run the young guns out for 200 innings. We're going to need somebody to kind of help fill that void. Whether it's Kazmir, Samardzija, Hamels, Cueto, whoever, we're going to expect them to come in and help us out."
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