Editorials

Dodgers Rumors: Hamels Trade May Not Require Dealing Seager Or Urias

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies have been here before. Competing for a division title and with visions of making a trip to the World Series, the Dodgers have their eyes on Cole Hamels.

The Phillies meanwhile, fading in the standings, remain staunch in their standing of needing quite the haul in any trade for their ace. As it specifically relates to Los Angeles and Philadelphia, it’s believed the cost for Hamels is one of or both Corey Seager and Julio Urias, plus other pieces.

Last season former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti rebuffed any trade talks that involved the two prized prospects, along with Joc Pederson. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi have given the indication they too won’t deal Seager or Urias.

On the heels of it being recently reported that the Phillies have become more reasonable with their asking price on Hamels, ESPN’s Jayson Stark adds the Dodgers may be able to acquire the left-hander without parting with Seager or Urias, though still at a hefty cost:

We’ve heard rumblings that, if one of those two isn’t in the deal, the Phillies have asked for as many as six players back from the Dodgers’ 1-A prospect tier.

Other notable prospects in the Dodgers farm system include Jharel Cotton (RHP), Grant Holmes (RHP), Zach Lee (RHP), Jose De Leon (RHP) and Scott Schebler (OF). Zaidi recently allowed Brett Anderson’s injury places more pressure on the Dodgers to address their pitching need sooner rather than later.

Though Zaidi also added the club had already been in the process of conducting an aggressive search. When compared to other pitchers that are expected to be placed on the trading block, Hamels’ postseason pedigree and multiple years remaining on his contract make him among the more attractive options.

After the 2015 season Hamels is guaranteed $67.5 million over the next three years ($22.5 million each season). His contract includes a vesting option for $20 million in 2019 should he throw a minimum of 400 innings in 2017-2018.

The option also stipulates at least 200 of the innings come in 2018 and is contingent on Hamles avoiding the disabled list with a shoulder or elbow injury at the end of the 2018 season. Additionally, the 2019 option year comes with a $6 million buyout.

Hamels this season is 5-7 with a 3.91 ERA, 3.37 FIP and 1.25 WHIP. Though his strikeout rate is at 24.4 percent, which is up slightly from his career 23.3 percent rate.

He was particularly ineffective in his last two starts, allowing a combined 14 runs on 20 hits in 6.1 innings — 3.1 innings July 10 against the San Francisco Giants and three innings on July 19 against the Miami Marlins. The non-waiver trade deadline is Friday, July 31 at 1 p.m. PT.

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16 Comments

  1. 6 players from the Dodger’s 1-A tier is laughable. Urias, Seager, and other parts is even more laughable. From the list of De Leon, Cotton, Holmes, they can have at maximum one of those. Then they can get a bundle of second tier prospects. That would be the market value for Hamels in my estimation.

      1. I’d put Puig on the table to see what we could get for him. But I’d want a guy like Matz, Synnegard, or De Grom, more than a guy like Hamels, and certainly not for a rental. I’d be waving Puig and some other goodies the Mets way, and see if I could pry one of those, Puig in NY may be a fit, and they are desperate for position players.

  2. Either 6 1a prospects or Urias or Seager? Forget it. They need Seager this year, Urias is a unique talent and 6 1a players is a joke.

    1. No way Seager and Urias. Then again…what are the Dodgers waiting for to bring them up? I sure like to see Price and Cespedes in a Dodgers uniform.

  3. Why don’t they sign randy wolf to shore up the back end of the rotation. I know he is sitting in triple a ball

  4. I don’t think LA should try to make a deal with the idiot Ruben Amaro (Phillies GM). He is literally one of the worst general managers in recent baseball history, and will be trying (vainly, most likely) to save his job with this deal. David Price and Cueto are both free agents at year’s end, and I’d rather see LA make a deal for one of them on the condition that they sign an extension. Amaro should have dealt Hamels a full year ago, and each successive wretched outing should be lowering his asking price. He’s had two Beachy-like performances in a row.

    1. I’m not sure Amaro has been that bad, but he is certainly taking too much time in deciding what to do with Cole Hamels. He might regret it.

      1. What smart moves has Amaro made for the Phillies? He kept bringing in mid 30 somethings to a roster that was old and in desperate need of retooling. He held on to Cliff Lee to the point that Lee’s career is over and his salary is just dead money. He’s sat on Cole Hamels for over a year now, waiting on the MLB equivalent of the Herschel Walker deal. The Phillies are not by far the worst team in baseball by pure accident. Amaro constructed this roster, and didn’t move aging parts before they bottomed out. Take a look at the contrast with the smart team in the division, the Atlanta Braves, and all the talent they’ve reaped in exchange for their big names.

  5. Wait. The Dodgers are considering trading the future for another old picture?
    Charlie Brown said it best: “Good grief.”

    1. Where did it say the Dodgers were actually “considering” that? It just says that 6 prospects are Philly’s asking price, not that the Dodgers are actually entertaining that. Just clarifying….

  6. I’m not sold on Hammels and NO Way do you give up Urias or Seager!!! Seager should actually be our short stop Now!

  7. Greinke and Kershaw….then NOBODY reliable….Continuing to the signing of WASHED UP pitchers has produced nothing. The fact is that a front line pitcher like Cole Hamels will require giving up someone, other than Seager or Urias. The teams also seems to make a HUGE trade for a consistent hitter. Puig appears to have fallen to the unpredictable. He continues to go after the first pitch and striking out with low and outside sliders. Include him in a package with some prospects.

  8. Amaro MUST be high because Hamels is no longer a good pitcher at this point in his career and he’s definitely not worth a top tier prospect. Based on his most recent performances, Hamels shouldn’t even be pitching in the majors anymore. I know that’s a harsh statement, but I wouldn’t trust him as the number 5 starter in this rotation right now. I get that he would still be under the club’s control for the next 2 years, but they can get the same level of performance elsewhere, and for much less salary. If they’re going to give up Puig or a package of prospects, they need to be looking for a top-notch pitcher NOT in a downward spiral, nor one in the twilight of their career!

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